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COFYRtGHT DEiKIStT. 



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REV. THOMAS P. HUNT. 



Chaiiluiii 1H63 1S66. 



HISTORY 

OF THE 

Segond Pennsylvania Yete!\an 
Heavy Artillery. 



CHAPTER I. 

ORGANIZATION. 



In the Summer of i86t, when the hfe or death of the 
nation depended on the support given by the sons of the 
Northern and Western States to maintain "the Union — 
one and indivisible," much speculation as to the result of 
the war was indulged in by many who had not as yet be- 
come aware of the necessity of immediate action on their 
part, or who, in other words, had not been attacked with 
"war fever." Others, also, there were who did not con- 
sider patriotism even paramount to a business requisite, and 
who did not care how the war terminated so long as business 
favored them, and, consequently, were interested in nothing 
except their individual welfare. 

Yet, many such men, nevertheless, either through rous- 
ing of their patriotic blood or with personal motives in view, 
eventually became "a party to the transaction" as the war 
continued, and eventually became mixed up, in one way or 
another, unintentionally, in military affairs, terminating in 
their becoming participants in the war before its close. So 
it was, evidently, with some of the original officers of the 
Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, who, however, as 



2 ORGAXIZATIOX. 

will be seen, were early "weeded out." thus ena])]in,e its pa- 
triotic and sincere officers to make it one of the most desir- 
able and effecti\-e regiments in service during the war. 

At a restaurant on North Second street, Philadelphia, in 
September, 1861, Charles Angeroth, James L. Anderson. 
David Sadler, Charles Roescher, John H. 01)erteuffer, Sr., 
William Candidus, Aaron P. Bilyeau and some other gentle- 
men, were discussing the merits and demerits of the then 
Commander of the Army of the Potomac, General George 
B. McClellan. who was in need of additional troops to in- 
sure success to his C(Mitemplated a(h'ance on the Confederate 
forces, when Mr. Sadler proposed raising- a battalion of men 
for heavv artillerv service, to take the place of troops then 
in the fortifications, and thus assist, in a measure. Gen. 
McClellan's "plan of campaign." 

The proposition was the means of bantering several of 
those present to enlist, and culminated in ]\[r. Angeroth 
making application to the War Department, through Hon. 
Andrew G. Curtin, the then Governor of Pennsylvania, for 
authority to recruit a body of men, to l)e commanded by 
those so doing, and to serve as heavy artillerymen. 

Anticipating a favorable reply to the application, re- 
cruiting was commenced at (^nce. and on September 24, 
1861, Henrv L. Buck and Richard S. Lewis were enrolled, 
being the first recruits to the organization. 

On October f, authority was granted Charles .\ngerotli 
(who had the reputation of being a man with great military 
experience, gained in the armies of Germany and elsewhere ) 
by General George B. AlcClellan, then in supreme command 
of the Armv, at Washington, to organize "a battalion or 
regiment of field or siege artillery." 

A recruiting office was established on Margaretta 
street, below Second, which was removed shortly thereafter 
to 506 Vine street, where is at present located the restaurant 
of Mrs. Stein, relict of Jacob Stein, who lent considerable 
aid in procuring recruits to the new organization, he having 
seen service with the first three months, or "emergenc}." 
men. 



ORCA.MZATION. 



Efforts have been made to procure a copy of the 
order authorizing the organization of this command, but 




LieUT SHEEN 



GROUP OF OFFICERS 



without avail. Colonel AlcClure, to whom credit is due for 
much of the data contained in this Historv. writes: 



4 ORGANIZATION. 

"When authority was given me to recruit Co. F, I was shown the 
order giving Charles Angcroth, our first Colonel, authority to raise the 
regiments. It has long been a source of regret that I neglected to 
make and preserve a copy of that order, and a diligent efifort made to 
find it among the records and papers of the regiment in proper depart- 
ment at Harrisburg was unsuccessful. I am therefore obliged to rely 
upon my memory for the details of the order, which w-as issued and 
signed by Major-General George B. McClellan, then in supreme com- 
mand of the army at Washington." 

The authority to recruit the regiment stipulated that 
"^the officers and such enhsted men as were recjuisite to drive 
and care for the necessary horses" were ''to be mounted, 
top boots to be worn by all men, and the arms shall be sabres 
and revolvers (or carbines)." 

The organization was to be a ''siege or field regiment, 
to conform to the regulations of the United States Regular 
Army." 

Inducements offered to join the organization were nu- 
merous and variegated. All kinds of assertions as to the 
light duty to be required of men were made, and in one or 
two instances the handbills of recruiting officers stipulated 
that "members of this regiment will have nothing to do — 
no marching required, and as c^uarters equal to most hotels 
will be provided in fortifications, the men will virtually be 
at home." 

The Captains were designated by the instigators of the 
organization, and the other officers for the several batteries 
were to be those who would secure the greatest number of 
recruits therefor. Sub-recruiting stations were opened in 
several localities, in and outside of Philadelphia. 

Battery A was recruited in Margaretta Street by 
Charles Auer and William Troost. 

Battery B was recruited at the Actien Brewery, or 
Actien Hall, as it was called, on Third Street, below Cal- 
lowhill, by Charles Shoenleber and Alexander Kost. 

Battery C's headquarters were on Second Street be- 
low Callowhill, Joseph Loeven and Erhardt Feidler being 
its recruiting officers. 

Battery D had its recruiting office on Second Street 
near Callowhill, David Sadler and Charles H. Beine being 



ORGANIZATION. 5 

in charge ; also on Market Street alcove Second, where 
Nicholas Baggs presided. 

Edward S. Rowand and J. H. Oberteiiffer, Jr., re- 
cruited Battery E on Third Street above Arch. 

William M. McClure, William Candidns, Jr., John 
M. Wilson and Samuel D. Strawbridge recruited Battery 
F at Danville, Muncy, Bloomsburg and Philadelphia. 

Battery G was recruited by C. N. Cadwallader and 
James L. Anderson in the basement at the northwest corner 
of Sixth and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia. 

Battery H Vv^as recruited by Thomas W'ilhelm and 
John S. Jarden, on Fifth Street above Arch. 

Gustavus L. Braun and Charles Angeroth, Jr., recruit- 
ed Battery I at Second and Arch Streets. 

Battery K was recruited at Uniontown and thereabout 
by Amzi S. Fuller, John B. Krepps and Pressly Cannon. 

As soon as recruits were received, they were sent to 
Charles G. Zimmerman's Diamond Cottage, a pleasure re- 
sort in the suburbs of Camden, N. J., where a rendezvous 
camp was established, and where they were drilled in the 
"school of the company." 

There being no arms or clothing available at that time, 
the men were in citizen dress, and armed with clubs when on 
guard duty, making it an easy matter to "run the guard," 
as very many did, and spent most of their time in the city of 
I'hiladelphia. 

As a large number of the men recruited in Philadel- 
phia at that time were Germans, and could not write or read 
English, many of the men in camp would write their own 
passes, and at a favorable time present them to a guard who 
was a German, who would look at it in a way to indicate he 
understood what was written, invariably sa3ang "alle recht," 
and permit the bearer to pass out of the inclosure, many of 
whom would not return for several days. This, however, 
cTid not last a great while, for the officers soon discovered the 
practice, and caused but one exit to be used, where competent 
guards were stationed. 

The first Batteries to complete their complement of 
enlistments were D, G and H, and at ten o'clock on the 



O ORGANIZATION, 

morning of January 9, 1S62. these three Batteries, under 
command of Captain James L. Anderson, were sent to 
Fort Delaware for garrison chity. A ferryboat furnished 
the means of transportation. 

These three Batteries were officered as follows : 

Battery D — Captain. David Sadler. 

1st Lieutenant. Charles H. Beine. 

1st Lieutenant. Nicholas Baggs. 

2nd Lieutenant. Edward Longmire. 

1st Sergeant, James Matthews. 
Battery G — Captain. James L. Anderson. 

1st Lieutenant. C. N. Cadwallader. 

1st Lieutenant, Richard M. Goundie. 

2nd Lieutenant, Joseph N. Ahhey. 

1st Sergeant. Dennis AL Carroll. 
Battery H — Captain, Thomas Wilhelm. 

1st Lieutenant. John S. Jarden. 

1st Lieutenant. E. D. C. Loud. 

2nd Lieutenant. Milton Benner. 

2nd Lieutenant. John W. Hamilton. 

1st Sergeant. Rohert S. Wharton. 

Hugo Theinhardt was the first bugler in the regiment. 

When the above-mentioned three Batteries arrived at 
P'ort Delaware, Captain Anderson reported to Captain .\u- 
gustus A. Gibson, of the U. S. A., who was in command 
there, and he assigned the several Batteries to c|uarters in- 
side the fort. 

The officers and men at once saw a vast difference in 
the life of a soldier as compared with that at "Camp Anger- 
oth," 1)eing made accjuainted with the routine of real military 
service. A svstematic course of instructions and drills were 
imparted to them. When the weather and ground were 
suitable they would be taken outside the fort, so as to have 
more room to drill in marching and the movements of a 
soldier. Drills with the big guns in the casemates and on 
the barbette added \er}' much to their feeling of intUience. 
One night they were called up to stand by the guns, and 
were told the Confederate ram, called the "Merrimac," 
might come steaming u]) the Delaware, at any time, and if 
she should pass lun't Delaware, there would be nothing to 
prevent her laying Philadelphia under millions of dollars 
for tribute monev. 



ORGANIZATION, 7 

It soon developed that some men were unfit for mili- 
tary duty, and the weeding out process commenced at Fort 
Delaware. The clothing furnished to the soldiers at Fort 
Delaware was of good quality and in sufficient quantity to 
make it noticeable and appreciated by the men themselves. 

During the stay at Fort Delaware a soldier died and 
was buried with military honors. To most of the men this 
was entirely a new experience, and on returning from the 
grave the lively airs played by the band was not in entire ac- 
cordance with their previous notions of the correctness of 
things in good taste. However, they soon learned that this 
was the proper thing at military funerals. 

The deceased soldier was First Sergeant James 
Matthew^s, of Battery D. 

Recruiting for the regiment continued, and the follow- 
ing Batteries were completed and mustered in : 

January 4, Battery E — Captain, Edward S. Rowand. 
January 4, Battery F — Captain, William M. McClure. 
January 6, Battery A — Captain, Charles Auer. 
February 10, Battery I — Captain, Gustavus L. Braun. 
February 10, Battery C — Captain, Joseph Loeven. 
February 11, Battery K — Captain, Anizi S. Fuller. 
February 15, Battery B — Captain, Charles Roescher. 

The reg"iment was organized with the following as its 
first field and staff officers : 

Colonel, Charles Angeroth. 

Lieutenant Colonel. John H. OberteulTer, Sr. 

Major, William Candidus. 

Adjutant, Charles G. Zimmerman. 

Quarter Master, Aaron P. Bilyeau. 

Surgeon, EHsha Griswold. 

Asst. Surgeon, Richard H. Nevil. 

Chaplain, John H. Hassler. 

Sergeant Major, Paul L. Higgins. 

Quartermaster Sergeant, William H. Melcher. 

Com. Sergeant, Wm. H. Berger. 

Hospital Steward, A. F. Schalhirdt. 

Chief Bugler, Hugo Thcinhardt. 

On the 14th day of January three pieces of artillery 
were received at Diamond Cottage, and the men were 
elated, although the "battery" consisted of one mortar. 



b ORGANIZATION. 

one howitzer and one brass six-pound field piece. Never- 
theless, they gave standing to the organization as an artil- 
lery regiment, notwithstanding the regiment, at that time, 
was usually termed "the 112th Regiment Pennsylvania 
Volunteers," that being its number in line of Pennsylvania 
regiments organized. 

The first drill with ''field guns'' was had on the 23d 
of January, 1862, and great interest and pleasure was 
taken therein by both officers and men. 

The first battalion drill of the regiment took place 
on February 21st, Captain ]\IcClure and Major Candidus 
directing the manoeuvres. 

On Sunday, February 2, 1862, the seven Batteries then 
at "Camp Angeroth" were ordered to "fall in" at 9 o'clock 
A. M. for divine services, after which they were marched 
to a German church in Philadelphia, where a discourse in 
German was listened to, the major portion of the men in 
attendance, however, not being conversant with the dialect 
used, understood little that was said by the pastor. 

The first death in the regiment was Frank Gray, of 
Battery E, who died from smallpox, and was buried in Odd 
tellows' Cemetery, Philadelphia, February 12, 1862. 

On Saturday, February 22 (Washington's Birthday), 
the regiment was reviewed by Governor Andrew G. Curtin 
and members of the State Legislature, who addressed the 
officers and men and complimented them on their "fine 
appearance and devotion to the State of Pennsylvania mani- 
fested by volunteering to leave home and friends in defence 
of the principles of liberty and union." 

The seven Batteries then in camp at Diamond Cottage 
were ofiicered as follows : 

Battery A — Captain, Charles Auer. 

1st Lieutenant, William Troost. 

1st Lieutenant, Charles Hauflear. 

2nd Lieutenant, Otto Lutz. 

1st Sergeant, William Gratznowsky. 
Battery B — Captain, Charles Roescher. 

1st Lieutenant, Milton Benner. 

1st Lieutenant, Alexander Kost. 

2nd Lieutenant, Max Heine. 

2nd Lieutenant, Frederick Mayer. 

1st Sergeant, G. Pentle. 



ORGANIZATION. 9 

Battery C — Captain, Joseph Loeven. 

1st Lieutenant, Erhardt Fiedler. 

is.t Lieutenant, Charles Zeitz. 

2nd Lieutenant, Decatur Holbert. 

1st Sergeant, C. A. Dunkelberg. 
Battery E — Captain, Edward S. Rowan. 

1st Lieutenant, J. H. Oberteuffer, Jr. 

1st Lieutenant, Florence W. Grugan. 

2nd Lieutenant, William G. Dickson. 

1st Sergeant, John Ford, Jr. 
Battery F— Captain, William M. McClure. 

1st Lieutenant, William Candidus, Jr. 

1st Lieutenant, Samuel D. Strawbridge. 

2nd Lieutenant, John M. Wilson. 

1st Sergeant, James H. Springer. 
Battery I — Captain, Gustavus L. Braun. 

1st Lieutenant, Charles Angeroth, Jr. 

1st Lieutenant, Arnold S. Angeroth. 

2nd Lieutenant, J. Moore Kelsey. 

2nd Lieutenant, George C. Wilson. 

1st Sergeant. Samuel H. Davis. 
Battery K — Captain, Amzi S. Fuller. 

1st Lieutenant, John B. Krepps. 

1st Lieutenant, Pressly Cannon. 

2nd Lieutenant, John H. Geuissinger. 

2nd Lieutenant, Joseph L. Iredell. 

1st Sergeant, Peter Heck. 

The seven Batteries were, on Monday, February 24, 
ordered to Washington, in obedience to which, at dayhght 
next day, tents were struck (most of which, however, were 
previously blown down by a violent wind storm during the 
night), and the command started for its destination at 12 
o'clock, noon, going by way of the P., W. & B. Railroad, 
from foot of Washington avenue, Philadelphia, stopping 
first at the Cooper Shop Volunteer Refreshment Saloon, 
Philadelphia, for dinner. 

Dinner over, the men formed in line on the street 
to receive tokens of regard from the patriotic citizens of 
Philadelphia, who were not satisfied with giving them a 
good dinner, but were there also to make glad the heart of 
the soldiers whose friends or relatives at home did not know, 
or did not consider, that life on the tented field was not like 
that at home. Motherly-looking women passed along the 
lines with stockings for any soldier who wore woolen 
stockings or socks. Young ladies followed with needle 
cases, scissors, thread, buttons, etc., and anv soldier who did 



lO ORGANIZATION. 

not ha\e tliese articles was snp])liecl by those kind-hearted 
Philadelphia women. 

The fathers and Ijrothers did not let their wives do all 
the kind acts. They were there with chewing toljacco, 
smoking- tobacco and cig^ars. The tobacco was cut up in 
small squares. All those who had no money to buy tobacco 
were supplied with the weed. 

Leaving" Philadelphia at 5.00 o'clock P. M., Baltimore 
was reached at 3 o'clock next morning. Here the command 
was dined at the "Soldiers' Rest," and being detained for 
want of transportation, did not leave Baltimore until 5 
o'clock that evening. 

Arriving at Washington about 10 o'clock on the 
evening of the 26th, Colonel Angeroth reported to General 
Abner Doubleday, who assigned the regiment to the Artil- 
lery Division, District of Washington, doing duty in the 
earthworks on the North side of Washington, and the regi- 
ment then marched through mud and slush, more than 
ankle deep, t(j the "Soldiers' Rest," where it remianed over 
night. 

The next morning, after a poor night's rest from being 
overcrowded in the (juarters allotted to them at the "Rest," 
but enjoying a pretty good breakfast of bread, coffee and 
bacon, the command marched to Fort Lincoln, near I51adens- 
burg, where tents were pitched in a corn held, and a few 
days thereafter the regiment commencd doing duty in the 
fortifications on the North side of Washington, undc 
command of General Abner Doul)leday. 

The fortifications consisted of a series of forts erected 
on every hill and connected by a ditch called a covered 
way. This covered way extended from one fort to the 
other, and was deep enough to protect men should they 
have to use them in case of an attack. The forts varied in 
size accr)rdi!ig to their j)rominence and supposed importance. 
Some of them re(|uired several companies, others only one 
or two. They all had large cannons mounted in them, and 
a magazine for ammunition. This was called "bomb 
proof," because it was supposed to be strong enough to re- 
sist any bomb shell that could be drop])C(l on it. 



ORGANIZAIIOX. 



II 




GROUP OF OFFICERF. 

Military roads had been constructed in the rear of these 
forts, so that troops and supphes could readily be mox-ed. 
The forts the regiment was assigned to were "Lincoln," 
"Bunker Hill," "Saratoga" and "Totten." Sibley tents were 
furnished the command. They were shaped like an Indian 



12 ORGANIZATION. 

wigwam. Each tent would accommodate eight or ten men, 
and had a stove in it. The size of the tent was doubled by 
making a stockade about six feet high for the base and 
the tent mounted on that. This gave a second story. Bunks 
were built on the same principle as is now used for berths 
in the Pullman palace cars, but far less luxurious. 

One of the famous places near it was the old duelling 
ground near Bladensburg, just at the foot of the hill upon 
which Fort Lincoln was erected. This was the right of 
the line, which extended toward the left over two miles, and 
comprised, in addition to Lincoln, Forts Thayer, Saratoga, 
Bunker Hill, Slemmer and Totten, near which was the Sol- 
diers' Home, on the Seventh street road. The Batteries 
were changed from one fort to another occasionally, so as 
to familiarize them with the ground. 

On the 28th of February the Batteries were mustered 
for pay by Lieutenant Colonel Oberteuffer, after which 
the men were permitted to remain in idleness a few days, 
visiting Washington, Bladensburg and other points ; then 
the regiment was put to work strengthening the forts and 
digging ditches, in addition to the usual camp duty. 

Regimental headquarters were established at Fort Lin 
coin, it being the largest fort at that time. 

On the loth of ]\Iarch, the Army of the Potomac, which 
had been laying in and around W^ashington, moved into 
Virginia, and the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery 
then assumed command of all forts on the North side of 
the Defences of Washington; in addition to which guards 
and pickets were detailed for duty in Washington, Bla- 
densburg and points nearly seven miles beyond the fortifi- 
cations. Special details of men were made daily to patrol 
the country thereabouts, including Bladensburg, for guer- 
illas, bushwhackers and such, many of which were known 
to be hovering about that section of country, and several 
of which were picked up and turned over to the autiiorities. 

On the 1 2th of March, General Doubleday and staff 
visited and reviewed the regiment, making complimentary 
remarks to its line officers and suggesting to the field and 
staff the necessity of regimental, as well as company drills, 
to make the regiment efficient — a suggestion, no doubt, 



ORGANIZATION. 



'3 



prompted by informations obtained by the reviewing offi- 
cers as to the lax manner in which the field and staff inter- 
ested themselves in the regiment's welfare. 

Batteries D, G and H were relieved from duty at Fort 
Delaware on the 19th of March, 1862, and, embarking on 
transports, passed through the Chesapeake and Delaware 
Canal to Chesapeake Bay, thence to Baltimore, thence by rail 
to Washington, arriving and joining the regiment on the 
evening of that day, and were assigned to forts Slocum and 
Massachusetts, two additional forts on the left of Fort Tot- 
ten. 



H 



CHAPTER II. 



THE DEFENCES OF WASIITNGTOX. 

The Second Penns\hania Hea\}' Artillei'}- now being a 
complete body, accorcbng to the regulations of the United 
States Army, and ha^■ing become somewhat accjuainted with 
the "school of the company." battalion and regimental drills 
were inaugurated. 

Up to March 15, 1862, the arms of the regiment con- 
sisted of the clubs received at Camden and a few old mus- 
kets, in addition to the cannon in tlie forts, but on this date 
the several batteries assembled at Fort Saratoga, when and 
where the men were supplied with Austrian muskets, and 
dispen.sed with tlie "shelalahs," as they termed the clubs. 

They had antici])ated receixing swords and revolvers, 
as had been promised them, consequently (lisap])ointment 
was depicted on every countenance at receixing these anti- 
quated muskets. 

The "Austrian cannons", howexcr, were soon there- 
after exchanged for Springfield rifles, much to the gratifi- 
cation of the officers, as well as the men, and the change 
seemed to put new life into the regiment. 

The men's rations were al)undant in ([uantity and good 
in f|uality, and included fresh bread daily, being baked in 
the basement of the capitol. which was conxerted into a 
bakery at the commencement of the war. 

The first ])ayment to the regiment was made bv }iIajor 
Dodge, on the ist of .\])ril, iS6j. and, in conse(|uence there- 
of, a "glorious old time" was enjoyed for a few days by the 
major portion of the regiment. 



DEFENCES OF VVASIIINGTON. 



15 




/ :• 








m'- 









5v 








THE DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 

Completed and garrisoned by the Second Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery. 

The guards in and around the forts, after "taps," were 
required to call the hour during the night, thus: "Post 
number one; ten o'clock, and all's well!" the guard at each 
successive post repeating it until tlie farthest post was 



l6 DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 

reached, when it would again be repeated back until number 
one post was again reached. This was done to ascertain if 
any guard was asleep or away from his post. In case of 
failure in any one guard so calling out (which did occur on 
one or two occasions), the sergeant of the guard, with a 
detail of three men, would make an investigation, which 
would invariably result in finding the guard asleep. 

On the 15th of April the first order for battalion drill 
was issued by the Colonel, but when the several Batteries 
reported for that purpose at Fort Saratoga, he changed the 
order, and dress parade was had instead. The Batteries, 
however, had battalion drill on the 17th at the same place, 
on which date Captain Anderson, of Battery G, was mus- 
tered in as Junior Major of the regiment, and at once took 
a manifest pride in improving the regiment's knowledge 
of military tactics, and bearing great stress on the line 
officers to become perfect therein. 

The regiment was inspected and mustered for pay 
by Captain Halstead on the 30th of April, 1862, on which 
occasion a much improved interest was manifested by the 
officers and men, evoking comments of approval by the in- 
specting officers; the credit for which, no doubt, being 
due to the officers of Batteries D, H and G, who had profitted 
by their experiences under Captain Gibson at Fort Dela- 
ware, and also that of Captain McClure, of Battery F, who 
had gained considerable military experience during the 
three months' service. Inspired by the expressions of Cap- 
tain Halstead, the several Batteries took on a new interest 
to become perfected in drill, each appearing to vie with the 
others to become perfect, to which end drilling became a 
pleasure, not with the officers alone, but by the enlisted 
men as well. The daily drills involved also practicing with 
the artillery, the gunners becoming quite expert in a short 
time, both with the smooth-bore and Parrott rifled ord- 
nance. 

Discipline in the regiment at this time was very lax, 
officers, from Colonel down to lieutenants, mingled and 
messed with the non-commissioned officers and privates, 
thus tending to divert the latter of respect and obedience due 
the former, and, consequently, preventing the regiment 



DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 



17 



from attaining any special degree of enconium among the 
inhabitants of Washington, or the "powers that be." 

Colonel Angerotii seemed to take little pride in the 
regiment, spending more than one-half of his time in 
Washington, leaving no one in particular to look after the 
wants of the regiment, and the men done pretty much as 
they pleased. 



M 




A 
f 


1 ^r 








if -rw'- 


=^|''-1=^-V^^ 


"-■"^2 — -; 




mm 





OFFICERS AND 100 LB. PARROTT GUN. 

Fort Lincoln. 

The different characteristics of the officers and men 
soon began to show themselves. The majority of them 
were faithful, patriotic and earnest, and rapidly advanced 
in knowledge and usefulness. There was the usual number 
of derelicts that are inevitable accompaniments of all times 
of excitement and especially of war. 

Soon there began to be rumors that the officers were 
not military men and did not know how to drill and get 
the best service out of the men. The state officials at Har- 



lO DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 

risburi^ were \ery jealous of the care, discipline and effici- 
ency of the ^•oh^nteers, and were in such close touch with 
them that any complaint, even from enlisted men. would re- 
ceive consideration. This wail of complaint finally gath- 
ered in such volume that an "Examining Board" was ap- 
pointed to test the field officers, to see if they were com- 
petent to handle such an important body of men. These 
"Examining Boards" were an expeditious way of getting 
rid of inefficient officers. 

Some of the field officers were ordered before the board 
and were found so incompetent that they were advised to 
resign, which they did. But if they had not resigned, 
charges would have been preferred and they would have 
been tried by court martial. It was a bitter disappointment 
to them. They were happy and contented in their posi- 
tions, and it is said one of them remarked: "W'hy could 
they not let us alone : we were all making such a good liv- 
mg? 

This wholesale retirement of officers naturally resulted 
in demoralizing the entire regiment somewhat. Desertions 
became frequent, and the process of weeding out those who 
were not fully able-bodied reduced the regiment so rapidly 
that recruiting again became necessary. 

Becoming disgusted with the indifference and inca- 
pacity of the Colonel, the staff" and battery officers eventu- 
aly made unmistakable eff'cM'ts to have him pay more atten- 
tion to the regiment's welfare and efficiency, by outspoken 
expressions of dissatisfaction, but without avail ; conse- 
quently, on the 20th of April, Major Candidus attempted 
to have a petition signed loy the officers for the examina- 
tion of Colonel Angeroth by the Examining Board. Not 
being successful in this, he ])referred charges against the 
Colonel on the 22d of Ai)ri]. which culminated in the resig- 
nation of Colonel Angeroth being tendered, and he was 
discharged on the 21st of June, 18C2. 

Early on the morning of May 24th picket firing called 
the regiment into the forts to man the guns in anticipation 
of an attack. On sending out messengers to the picket 
line, it was ascertained the firing was caused by small 
bodies of the enemy, presumably guerillas, being discovered 



DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 



19 



prowling about the woods in front of Fort Thayer. Details 
were sent out to capture them, but were not successful, as, 
being- mounted, they gallopped off on being discovered. 

On May 26th reports reached the forts that General 
Banks was retreating towards Washington, and many ad- 
ditional regiments of infantry and cavalry were sent to 
support the garrisons in the forts. 

The men of the regiment were made happy on the nth 




DETAIL (Battery F) and 32 LB. PARROTT GUN. 
Fort Lincoln. 



of June, 1862, when the paymaster mad.e his appearance and 
handed over two months' pay to them, which, at that lime, 
was twenty-six dollars, being at the rate of thirteen dollars 
per month. 

Captain McClure, and the other officers, on the 23rd 
of June, reported to the Provost Marshal secret movements 
made by certain residents of Bladensburg, and on the 29th 



2D DEFENCES OF WASHINGTOX. 

the Board of Officers met and investigated the matter, as 
well as the reported atttack on Fort Slocnm. made a week 
before. 

After the retirement of Colonel Angeroth, the com- 
mand of the regiment fell on Lieutenant Colonel Oberteuf- 
fer, who, with his staff and line officers, was very anxious 
to get a competent man for Colonel, Oberteuffer himself pre- 
ferring to retain his rank as Lieutenant Colonel. 

Those officers who were on duty at Fort Delaware 
prior to going to Washington, and who had become ac- 
quainted with Captain Gibson, were naturally inclined to 
think he could "fill the bill," if the Government would sanc- 
tion his doing so. 

On the petition of the officers of the regiment, Captain 
Gibson, of the 2d U. S. Artillery, was given a leave of ab- 
sence from the regular army, and, on the 25th day of June, 
was appointed to command the Second Pennsylvania Heavy 
Artillery, which announcement gave great satisfaction to 
the officers and men who were desirous of making the regi- 
ment one to l)e proud of, and who were in the service for 
honor as well as duty and pay, many of whom were even 
spending somewhat of their personal funds to advance tlie 
stamina and appearance of their commands. 

Colonel A. A. Gibson arrived at Fort Lincoln on the 
3rd of August, 1862, and at once assumed command of the 
Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, having the officers 
in command of the several Batteries report to him the va- 
cancies therein, and, also, such propositions as, in their 
judgment, would be to the interest of the regiment. 

This led to a reorganization of the Second Pennsyl- 
vania Heavy Artillery, many promotions being made to 
fill vacancies caused by those who were "requested" to re- 
sign, as the new Colonel, being a graduate of West Point, 
as well as a Mexican War veteran and strict disciplinarian, 
saw what was wanted to redeem the standing and advance 
the interests of the regiment, by having- "none but compe- 
tent and self-respecting officers in the regiment." 

The new Colonel took great pride and interest in the 
regiment, and inaugurated means to have it well drilled in 



DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 21 

both light and hea\ y artillery as well as infantry tactics, as 
required of heavy artillery by the regulations of the United 
States service, to which he added frequent inspections, dress 
parades, battalion and regimental drills, the result of which 
eventually enabled him to rightfully claim having the best 
disciplined and drilled regiment of volunteers in the United 
States service, demonstrations of which claim he proved in 
competition with other regiments in the defences of Wash- 
ington making the same claim. 

Details of officers, commissioned and non-commissioned, 
as well as of enlisted men in several instances, were fre- 
quently sent out from the regiment to instruct officers and 
men of other regiments in tactics of the army, acknowledg- 
ments as to their abilities to do so frequently being given 
by those who came under their tuition. Captain E. P. 
Webb, in his " History of the loth Regiment N. Y. Heavy 
Artillery," says : 

"Officers from the One Hundred and Twelfth Pennsylvania Heavy 
Artillery were assigned to Battalions as instructors in heavy artillery 
tactics, under whose instructions the officers and command became 
quite efficient in heavy artillery drill, the commissioned officers meeting 
at headquarters at stated times for instructions in light artillery 
tactics." 

On the 1 6th of August, 1862, Major Candidus ten- 
dered his resignation, which was accepted on the 23rd, and 
Colonel Gibson mustered the regiment on the i8th, re- 
porting the absentees, in consequence of which several offi- 
cers were discharged, and commissions requested for others 
to replace them. Among the former were Adjutant Zim- 
merman and Quartermaster Bilyeu, who were succeeded 
respectively by Lieut. Florence W. Grugan, of Battery E, 
and Quartermaster Sergeant William H. Melcher, formerly 
private of Battery D. Captain David Sadler, of Battery 
D, was promoted to Junior Major, the Senior Major being 
James L. Anderson, he having been promoted thereto vice 
Major Candidus, resigned. 

Other changes, of minor importance, took place among 
the officers of the regiment, on account of the weeding out 
thereof, and the regiment profited greatly thereby, par- 
ticularly so by the promotion of Wm. H. Melcher, who was 



22 DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 

a very competent man for the office of Quartermaster, and 
who, in reahty, had filled the position very satisfactorily as 
sucli wliiie his superior g'ot the credit and compensation for 
doing nothing. 

Orders to draft 300,000 men for the army was issued 
by proclamation of President Lincoln on the i6th of August, 
1862, in addition to a call for 300,000 additional volunteers. 
Tlie former order had the effect of creating great excite- 
ment throughout the Northern States, and in the city of 
New York considerable rioting took place. Init the effect of 
the draft stimulated volunteer enlistments, and the Second 
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery profited very perceptibly 
thereby. 

Rumors of Pope's army being driven back were circu- 
lated around the fortifications of Washington on the 28t]i of 
August, 1862, and the following day the 136th Regiment 
P. V. encamped near Fort Lincoln, giving credence to the 
rumor, in consequence of which some changes were marie 
in garrisoning the several forts, and on the 30th cannonad- 
ing at Bull Run could be plainly heard in the fortifications 
garrisoned by the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery. 

ALarching orders were issued on August 27,. but were 
immediately countermanded, the regiment being required 
in the fortifications, to strengthen which Colonel Gibson 
had ])lanned great improvements and its supervision thereof 
required his presence, as well as other officers of the regi- 
ment, in carrying out the plans. 

Battery D was stationed at Fort ^Massachusetts, and on 
August 28, 1862. was transferred to forts on the Virginia 
side of the Potomac river, where it remained until after the 
second battle of Bull Run, when it marched back to Fort 
Massachusetts. 

On the 29th of August, the 136th and 137th Regiments 
of Pennsyhania Volunteers, two regiments of infantry, 
whose services were for nine months, were sent to the forts 
occupied by the Second Pennsylvania Hea\y Artillery, and 
were drilled in artillery and infantry tactics by the officers 
and enlisted men of the last named regiment, lioth officers 
and men of the former regiments being mixed in promis- 
cuously with squads of the latter regiment for that pur- 



DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 2^ 

pose. These two infantry regiments felled the timber on 
a belt of over two miles in front of the forts, and, about 
4 o'clock a. m. on the 7th of September were sent to the 
Army of the Potomac, then near South Mountain, leaving 
their baggage and tents, which were stored at Fort Totten 
by Captain AlcClure's Battery F. 

From the first to the sixth of Septeml)er, 1862, the 
Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was called upon to 
do extra duty in picketing, guarding fords, roads and 
bridges, in addition to garrisoning the forts, requiring large 
details of men and officers to continue on such duty twenty 
out of every twenty-four hours, owing to the enemy having 
crossed the Potomac river into Maryland, and the capture 
of Frederick City by Lee's army. 

I'he regiment commenced building a line of ritle pits 
near Veitch's House on September nth, and the following 
day it built a large masked battery in the copse west of 
Fort Lincoln, in addition to other smaller works along the 
line of the fortifications, which, when completed, comprised 
a continuous and impregnable chain of earthworks. 

The rapid building of these earthworks by the regi- 
ment was stimulated by hearing cannonading, and. at times, 
musketry, in the direction of Harper's Ferry, and later at 
points nearer, terminating on the 17th of September with 
the battle of Antietam. 

After the "weeding out" of the regiment, it was deter- 
mined to increase the number of batteries to twelve, of 150 
men each, to which end recruiting was again actively 
begun, officers being sent to Philadelphia and other parts of 
Pennsylvania for that purpose in October, 1862, among 
whom were Lieutenant Benjamin F. Winger, Sergeant 
Adam Ferguson and Private Daniel Heney. of Battery D, 
who were to seek recruits in the Cumberland Valley. They 
arrived at Chamljersburg, on October loth. just before 
noon, and in tlie afternoon Stuart's Confederate Cavalry, 
twenty-five hundred strong, with a light battery, raided and 
captured the town. Sergeant Ferguson was captured by 
W'ade Haiupton's men, but Lieutenant ^\'inger and Private 



24 DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 

Heney evaded the enemy, and secured, in a short time, one 
hundred and sixty-seven recruits for the regiment. 

A band of Confederate sympathizers, that nightly 
congregated at a house on Massachusetts avenue, just inside 
the hne of forts, and not far from Fort IMassachusetts, was 
discovered by members of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy 
Artillery, and details were made to watch the house day and 
night, when it was observed that signals were made to the 
Confederates nightly by lights and during the day by flags. 
The house was raided and some fifteen or twenty persons 
were captured and turned over to the authorities. 

It was at this house Captain Jarden. of Battery C, 
was reputed to have dined on the evening of November 8th, 
1863, and died suddenly at Fort Thayer the next day. 
Drugged liquor, as well as poisoned food, was. said to have 
been administered to him. 

Two independent Batteries of light artillery that were 
doing duty at Fort Delaware, commanded by Captain Paul 
T. Jones and Captain David M. Schooley, were on request 
of Colonel Gibson, added to the Second Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery on the 24th day of November, 1862, and 
were designated Battery L and Battery M respectively, thus 
making the regiment consist of twelve Batteries. 

In September, 1862, the regiment had not only be- 
came well drilled and disciplined but had strengthened and 
rebuilt all the earthworks under its control. 

The fact that no effort was made to strengthen the 
forts Massachusetts and Slocum, which were mere earth- 
works carelessly thrown up late in the fall of '61 or in the 
early part of '62, when the Confederates were in Maryland, 
is evidence sufiicient to warrant the conclusion that the au- 
thorities did not deem it necessary to strengthen these two 
forts on that part of the line when the enemy was in Marv- 
land. 

That forts Massachusetts and Slocum were rebuilt in a 
substantial manner as well as the batteries near Fort Lin- 
coln, was due to the military foresight of Col. Gibson. 
Those two forts were not built after the plan of Lincoln, 
Totten, DeRussy, Bunker Hill and Saratoga, but the Second 
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery and the First X'ermont Ar- 



DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 25 

tillery in conjunction remodeled those two forts into supe- 
rior earthwork fortifications. 

From March, 1862, until sometime in the summer of 
that year Batteries K and E, located at Fort Saratoga, left 
camp at 6.30 a. m. daily and marched to Slocum, where 
they worked until evening, returning to camp about 6 or 
6.30 p. m. 

After rebuilding, Fort Massachusetts was designated 
Fort Stevens. Had it not been for the work done by 
the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, or rather, had 
Forts Massachusetts and Slocum remained as they were in 
1862, Gen. Early would have had no difficulty in reaching 
Washington City by route of the Seventh Street road. 
The masked battery referred to above, built by Battery K, 
under the command of Lieutenant Pressley Cannon, and 
which was afterwards known as Battery Cannon, did full 
duty in protecting the Union army from Confederate bullets. 

Historians will not likely condescend to give credit to 
this regiment's part of the defense against Early's attack, 
but it is well known, that Early came too late to take the 
Capital City of the United States by the way of Seventh 
Street road, as was proved by the defense offered there by 
those forts so well planned and built by the officers and men 
of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery. 

One of the largest and best topographical maps made 
during the war was made by a detail of ten men belonging 
to Battery G, of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, 
under the leadership of Robert Hodascowich, a graduate of 
the Military School of St. Petersburg, Russia, who was 
then a private of Battery G. The map created quite a sen- 
sation among the topographical engineers at Washington, 
inasmuch as it was not only complete, but that it was 
the largest known to have been executed up to that time. 

After the battle of Antietam, relief was had from the 
excessive duty required of the regiment, and on the 17th 
of November, 1862, the Batteries garrisoning Forts Massa- 
chusetts, Slocum and Totten were relieved by the First 
Regiment of Vermont Artillery. 

Lieutenant Samuel D. Strawbridge, of Battery F, was 
mustered as Captain on December 13th, 1862, and assumed 



26 DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 

command of Batter}- I on the folic )\vin_^- niornir.g. succeed- 
ing Captain Gustavus L. Braun, who resigned on the 12th. 
The change of officers made a very satisfactory and salu- 
tary effect on the men of the Battery, as the new commander 
was well liked, and took great pride in drilling and looking 
to the interest of his men. 

In January, 1863, the regimental headquarters were 
removed from Fort Lincoln to the plateau between Forts 
Thayer and Saratoga, and the regiment composed the "First 
Brigade Defences North of the Potomac," Colonel Gibson 
commanding. The following month the brigade was at- 
tached to Harkin's Division of the Twenty-Second Army 
Corps. 

Soon after taking command of the regiment at Fort 
Lincoln, Colonel Gibson had organized from among the 
enlisted men thereof a band of musicians, which soon be- 
came very proficient under the leadership of Professor Per- 
rie, and President Lincoln became very partial to it, as, 
except on rare occasions, such as public inspections, reviews, 
or dress parades of the regiment, he had it performing 
daily at the White House. 

The regiment was very proud of its band, and appre- 
ciated the stirring music rendered on many a weary march, 
as well as its faithful services as stretcher-bearers on many 
a battlefield. One of its members, John A. Crossley, was 
wounded July 15, 1864, while performing that duty, dying 
three days after. 

During the winter of '62-'63 the men and officers had 
consideraljle society, both in Washington and near the forts. 
Many of them had their wives in the neighborhood and there 
was considerable visiting among the residents, although it 
was known that many of them were Confederate sympa- 
thizers. 

Among the latter, residing a short distance from Fort 
Lincoln, were two very attractive young ladies, who were 
also very entertaining, and whose company many of the 
officers of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery court- 
ed, but their efforts to do so were "flanked" by Richard W. 
Eggert and another private of Battery F. "Dick" was 
known as the "one man orchestra," and his performances 



DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 



27 



on the guitar at the home uf these young huhes insured his 
presence in preference to officers at their "evening parties," 
and on one occasion they made open confession to the offi- 
cers present that "Mr. Eggert is our most welcome guest on 
all occasions." Lieutenants Iredell and Higgins were the 
targets for the remarks. 

The regiment was ir.spccted and mustered by Major 
Anderson on the 31st of I)eceml:)er, and the same day Lieut. 




JAMES STREET. 

BaUerv I. 

William S. Bailey reported for duty in Battery F. 

Major Morrell paid the officers and men of the regi- 
ment on the 19th of January, 1863, in consequence of which 
passes for Washington were in great demand, and when re- 
fused "French leave" invariably followed. Where the ap- 
plicants for passes were sol)er and trustworthy, little diffi- 
culty was experienced in procuring them ; while, on the 
other hand, they were invariably refused. Those entering 



28 DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 

\\ ashington without passes to do so, in nearly every in- 
stance, would be "picked up" by the patrols and taken to 
the Central Station, where, if any indication of intoxication 
existed, a shower bath and twenty-four hours incarceration 
without food would be administered. 

Lieut. James H. Springer was assigned to Battery F 
on the 22d of January, 1863, having been promoted to 
Second Lieutenant on the 2d inst. 

Major Fillson, of the Regular Army, inspected the 
regiment on the 31st of January, and took occasion to 
congratulate the officers and men for "the splendid manner 
in which the regiment presents itself on this occasion." 

Except being mustered for pay on February 28th, 
nothing beyond the regular routine of drilling, guard and 
picket duty, with a casual Battery inspection, took place in 
the regiment until the loth of April, 1863, when a special 
muster of the whole army took place, in which the Second 
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was included. 

A dress parade of the regiment was had at Fort Sar- 
atoga on the 1 2th of April, 1863, on which occasion many 
hundred officers and about 3000 visitors witnessed the dis- 
play. The regiment was in full numbers, very few men 
being excused from participating in this event, as the daily 
papers had announced it to be Colonel A. A. Gibson's great- 
est effort to display his grand regiment of volunteers on this 
occasion, and the verdict of the press next day announced 
it to have been "a grand demonstration." 

The regiment was drilled daily at the guns in the forts, 
about this time, and considerable target practice was in- 
dulged in, particularly at Forts Lincoln, Thayer and Sara- 
toga, in which the several Batteries took turns, and the 
gunners became so efficient that there were very few who 
could not hit the target nine out of every ten attempts. 

A dress parade of the regiment at Fort Saratoga on 
Sunday, April 19th, 1863, was witnessed by many visitors, 
among whom were Generals Augur and the colonels of sev- 
eral regiments laying in and around Washington, and for 
the gratification of the latter some manoeuvering was made. 
On these occasions Colonel Gibson and his subordinate of- 
ficers took great delight in having officers of other regiments 



DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 29 

present, notice of the events invariably being given out a 
few days before, thus enabhng many to witness the events 
that otherwise would be impossible for them to do. The 
invitations to be present were generally issued at the insti- 
gation of the general commanding, who done so to have 
the manceuvering as an object lesson to officers of undrilled 
regiments. 

Major Morrell again paid the regiment, for three 
months' services, on the 25th of April, and on the 30th of 
the same month, Colonel Warner again inspected and mus- 
tered it. These two officers were the guests of Colonel 
Gibson on the following Sunday, May 3, when dress parade 
and review of the regiment took place at Fort Saratoga. 

After the battle at Chancelorsville, the Second Penn- 
sylvania Heavy Artillery was again called on to do extra 
duty, as most of the infantry regiments that had been lying 
near the forts were withdrawn and sent to the Army of the 
Potomac, the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery fur- 
nishing extra guards, patrol and pickets to cover the field 
made vacant. Nevertheless, the regular Sunday dress pa- 
rades were continued, when the weather permitted, and on 
May 17th, the usual details for duty were reduced one-half, 
thus enabling the several batteries to make a much larger 
turn-out on dress parade that day. 

On the 26th of May, 1863, Batteries F and G were 
called upon to do extra work on the forts, but refused, and 
other Batteries followed suit, which action of the men 
promised trouble, but on considering the grievances of the 
men, the officers managed to avert any serious trouble, and, 
except a reprimand by Colonel Gibson on the 31st, when he 
inspected the regiment, at Fort Saratoga, nothing further 
was dene in the matter. 

After the 24th of June, 1863, the men on picket and 
guard duty were admonished to be very vigilant, and the 
officers of the several Batteries were almost constantly on 
duty to keep the men on the alert for stray bands of the 
enemy, on account of Lee's army advancing towards Penn- 
sylvania. No one capable of doing duty was excused, and 
no passes to Washington were issued until after the 7th of 
July. The battle of Gettysburg, which was fought on the 



30 



DEFENCES OF WASHIXGTOX. 



1st. 2nd and 3rd of July, resulting- in the defeat of the Con- 
federate army by General Aleade. relieved the Second Penn- 
sylvania Heavy Artillery somewhat of doing excessive duty. 
Many men of the regiment, during Lee's invasion of 
Pennsylvania t(M)k "French leave," returned to their homes 
and, joining the Army of the Potomac at and around Get- 
tysburg, were engaged in defending' their homes and fire- 
sides to the letter, as v.ell as the spirit, of their enlistment. 




FIRST SERGEANT EDWARD O'NEILL. 

Balterv K. 



Many such men were killed, wounded or captured, and to 
this day some are marked on the records as "deserters ;" 
and, owing to that fact, those recorded as such in the roster 
at this time may be thus accounted for. 

On the 14th day of July. 1863, the Second Pennsyl- 
vania Heavy Artillery's heacUiuarters were removed from 
Fort Lincoln to the plateau between h""orts Bunker Hill and 
Slemmer, under a clump of line shade trees, and soon there- 



DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 3I 

after it was decided to g"i\'e the several Batteries more per- 
manent quarters than the Sibley tents. So each was fur- 
nished with lumber, and barracks were erected. These 
were one-story frame, about 40 feet wide and 100 feet long-. 
The carpenters and handy men were detailed from the Bat- 
teries and set to work. Nearly all of the buildings were 
done in time for the cold weather. They were set up two 
or three feet from the ground, so there would be a good 
circulation of air in every quarter. This was the same prin- 
cipal that had been adopted in the army hospitals, which 
proved to be the true thing, and has been followed in all 
hospitals since, as near as could be. 

About this time Battery D was moved to Bunker Hill 
and wintered there with Batteries A and B. 

Lieutenant Benjamin F. Winger, of Battery D, who 
had been detailed, July 13th, by Major General Heintzle- 
man, "Acting Assistant Inspector General for First Brigade 
Defences North of the Potomac," inspected the Second 
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, July 18, 1863, and 
on the 27th of the same month. Major Morrell, the 
paymaster, made his appearance and settled accounts with 
the regiment for services. On the 31st the regiment was 
again inspected by Colonel Gibson, who took occasion to 
flatter the officers and men for their "greatly improved 
appearance and bearing in so short a time," and directed 
the officers of the several Batteries to permit as many of 
the men as could be spared to witness the review of the 
light batteries on August 3rd, which took place near the 
Lincoln Hospital, fifteen light batteries participating there- 
in, and was considered a grand affair. 

Rev. John Hassler, the first Chaplain of the Second 
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, occasionally held divine ser- 
vices, but as few men attended them he became disinterested 
in his mission, and resigned on the 4th day of August, 1863. 

The regiment was reviewed and mustered at Fort 
Saratoga on the 31st of August, 1863, and again mustered 
for pay, by the commander of the post, on the 31st of 
October, 1863. 

Captain John S. Jarden, commanding Battery C, was 
taken from Washington to his quarters, at Fort Thayer, 



32 DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 

on the night of November 8th, and was found dead the 
next morning. A mystery surrounded the 'affair, which, 
after investigation, it was rumored that he had been poi- 
soned at a house on Massachusetts avenue, where he had 
spent the evening with a party of pronounced Confederate 
sympathizers. The house had been "pulled" once in 1862, 
as before mentioned, but nothing was done with the parties 
arrested, and, evidently the occupants at the time of 
Captain Jarden's death were supposed to be responsible 
therefor, although nothing was done in the matter. Jar- 
den's body was taken to Philadelphia and buried in Monu- 
ment Cemetery, at the southwest corner of Fifteenth and 
Norris streets. 

Lieutenant Winger again inspected the regiment on 
the 22nd of November, 1863, and on the 29th of the same 
month Captain Amzi S. Fuller, of Battery K was placed 
under arrest, but nothing of import resulted therefrom. 

A brigade drill was held near the Magruder Mansion, 
on December 12, 1863, Col. Gibson commanding, and all 
available men of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery 
were required to participate, followed by regimental drills 
daily until the i8th, preparatory to a general inspection and 
review on the latter date, by General Barry, but as the day 
proved to be very inclement, the event was postponed. 

The weather continued to be very disagreeable until 
the end of the year, in consequence of which Colonel Gib- 
son, on the 31st of December, mustered the regiment with 
the Batteries remaining in their several quarters. 

In the latter part of 1863, a weeding out of men not 
physically strong enough to perform field duty was inau- 
gurated, and such men were transferred from time to time 
to a body of troo'ps organized by the government to do 
patrol and guard duty in and around Washington, which 
was known as the "Invalid, or Veteran Reserve Corps." 
Many men were transferred from the Second Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery to the new organization during 1863-65. 

During the winter of 1863-64, considerable new blood 
was infused into the regiment, by the addition of some 
more competent officers and able-bodied young men, and 
the rank and file began to feel and realize that the regiment 



DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. $S 

was quite an important part of the defenses of W'ashin.^ton, 

It was a well known fact that the President had great 
confidence in the regiment and did not want it to leave the 
defenses, although many officers and men were anxious for 
duty in the field or at the front, and quite a number of them 
commenced to agitate the matter, evidently as a more cer- 
tain means of being promoted ; and as new recruits to the 
regiment came in such great numbers during the winter 
months that there were enough to make another regiment — 
the rolls swelling to over 3600 men — some extraordinary 
arrangements were required to be made, and it was sug- 
gested to form another regiment from the surplus. The 
right was granted recruits to choose the regiment to which 
they were to be assigned, thus preventing them being as- 
signed to other regiments without their consent ; so the 
suggestion of another Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artil- 
lery, with "Junior" or "No. 2" added, to properly desig- 
nate them, was urged by many who were in order for pro- 
motion, believing, of course, officers for the new regiment 
would be taken from the experienced men, commissioned 
and non-commissioned, of the old regiment, which was 
verified in April. 

Colonel Gibson gave offence to one or two of his sub- 
ordinate officers and men. whereupon charges were pre- 
ferred against him, which were referred to a Court of In- 
quiry for adjudication. 

The Court of Inquiry in the case of Colonel Gibson 
convened on the 25th of January. 1864. and, after witnesses 
against him were all heard, he read his defense thereto on 
the 27th of the same month, when the Court adjourned to 
meet on Wednesday. March 2nd, 1864. The final session 
was held on the 7th of March, when the Court declared 
the charges unsustained. 

After the muster out of Chaplain Hassler in August, 
1863, the officers and men of the regiment desired to have 
another Chaplain appointed, the outcome of which was the 
selection of Rev. Thomas P. Hunt, who was mustered as 
Chaplain on the 8th of February, 1864. The following 
letter, written bv Colonel Gibson, on the 6th of November, 
1877. will best describe the new Chaplain: 



34 



DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 



In the fall of 1863 there came to the Headqviarters of my brigade in the 
Defences of Washington a stranger, whose aspect and demeanor so vividly 
impressed me that I shall never forget the moment. It was the Rev. Thomas P. 
Hunt, to make an official report for duty as Chaplain of the 2d Penna. Heavy 
Artillery, — the 112th in the consecutive order of registration. His predecessor, 
Rev. John Hassler, a quiet, unobtrusive, good man, was dissatisfied with the 
office, in which, to repeat his words, "he could find so little to do," and therefore 
conscientiously resigned it. A meeting of the officers was held to nominate his 
successor, which the Governor duly confirmed. All that I knew of the appointee 
was through the officers, and this only in their assurance that I would be pleased 
with him. But when I first saw him I could hardly believe that there was not 
some mistake. Not that vigor and determination were lacking in the expres- 
sion of his countenance, whose physiognomy was apostolical; but the whiteness 
of his hair and flowing beard, and apparently feeble body created misgivings of 
his ability to be equal to the activities and exposure of service in the field. The 
line of his duties extended about five miles from Fort Slemmer on the West to 
Fort Jamison upon the Eastern Branch in the vicinity of Bladensburgh. 

The regiment was crude, but every man was a Pontsylz'anian, willing to 
obey and ready to receive instruction; but its elements were heterogeneous. 
Lifted from the reach of social influence and civil law, and not yet reduced to 
subjectiveness by military discipline, there were, more or less, acts of lawlessness 
induced more by the novelty of change and freedom from accustomed restraints, 
than by inherent disposition to do wrong. Here was an urgent demand for the 
right kind of Chaplain; one of tact, common sense and knowledge of human 
nature, of shrewdness, quick perception, genial sympathies, consistency and 
love of purpose: for when men are massed and moved by arbitrary will, they will 
soon learn to read character, to discuss it and to dissect it. They distinguish 
their superiors by unerring conclusions, and for the reason that their thoughts 
and visions are irresistibly directed to the central influence of their welfare. He 
believed that he was called to his work; that in accepting this appointment he 
was responding to God's behest; for in no other way, said he, could he account 
fo'r his sudden departure from the resolve in obedience to the wishes of his 
family, not to take the field again. After being settled in office, he approached 
me upon both personal and official relations. First, he requested to be called 
"Father Hunt," as heretofore the boys had been accustomed to call him; and then 
he desired an understanding between us of our distinctive spheres of duty, 
which he defined in clear, concise words which could not be misapprehended; 
to which I gave a ready assent, with gratification that he knew his place so 
well, and inferentially the duties attending it. From that moment began a 
mutual confidence which continued unbroken with never a shadow upon it, save 
that which was cast by our final separation from official relations. He com- 
menced with the Colonel as he ought to have done. Not many days afterwards 
as I was about to mount my horse, an orderly delivered a message — something 
irritating — for my words were emphasized with oaths. Swearing had been habitual 
with me for more than thirty years, and this was a period that vastly promoted it. 
Father Hunt, unobserved, was near by, and as I mounted he made some remark 
upon the matter in question, and then added: "But what is the use of swearing?" 
I looked him straight in the eye, and his eye was fixed on mine. His look was 
pleasant, his voice soft, there was nothing indicative of reproof, but a calm 
complacent aiipeal to the understanding. I continued my gaze uiion him perhaps 
half a minute, but my thoughts were far within me; then I said: "There's no use! 
I'll stof' it!" and added, "But the habit is so strong that I fear my tongue 
may sometimes slip." "Never mind that." he said, "but hold to the resolution." 
At another time he entered my (luarters chuckling in a (luizzical way, and 
exclaimed: "What do you think? The boys want to know what can have hap- 
pened to the Colonel. Thev sav they haven't heard him swear in two months." 
I siieak of this to illustrate his tact. His religious sentiments did truly generate 
his fervid jiatriotism, and converselv, his countrv's cause offered a new field 
of oi>pnrtunitv which sanctified his ministry. His haunts were alike the barracks, 
the hospital and the trenches. Men shoveled with more alacrity when he was 
about, they consociatcd more fraternally in their (luartcrs. and he was a visible 
relief to the languid sufferer on the sick bed. He "could be all things to all 
men." Jocund or serious as tlie occasion prescribed. Kvery anecdote was made 
subservient to the purpose as a Biblical text. His example of willing devotion 
enhanced by the veneration of years was a potent aid to his instilling powers. 
Youth lent freshness to age, and duty kept constant watch of the fleeting hours. 
Tliere was no moment vniimnroved, and utility was the spur of his activitv. Even 
his amusements were objective and his curiosity distilled from observation some 
truth to be sought. Restless in in(|uirv. his philosophic mind clothed his re- 
searches with thought as original as solid. Ivvidently the man of such parts 
must die with the harness on. What wonder tiien the regiment became a model? 



DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 35 

The propensity to forage wholly disappeared insomuch that gardens intersected 
by trenches and common passways were in undisturbed security without guara 
or patrol. Drunkenness was a rare occurrence. Passes freely given were seldom 
violated; and the officers abstained altogether from the exercise of arbitrary 
punishment. Justice demands the admission that all this was brought about largely 
by the influence of its Chaplain in supporting and impressing corrective orders. 
His pulpit was improvised of anything he could stand upon, and the place was 
anywhere of convenient assemblage. He preached in the open air with his hat 
on as often as under the shelter of a roof, and always in the appropriate 
manner and practical direction to do the most good. It was his intention to 
have a chapel built, but before the arrangements could be completed the regi- 
ment was moved to another part of the defences across the Potomac. Hut not 
in the preacher did the works of the Chaplain most abound. The volunteer 
looks back to his home whether as sentinel on the night watch or on the weary 
march, or engaged in the detail of garrison life. His domestic interests, ever 
dear to him, hang upon his thoughts, and he cherishes them the more tenderly, 
and desires to return to them the more eagerly, because his absence is temporary^ 
and his pursuit, so opposed to his habits, is not professional, but an enforced 
duty. Here the confident adviser finds intimate use and need of his office to 
inspirit and encourage the despondent; for the soldier needs heart in his duty 
as well as pluck to perform it. For this our Chaplain was abundantly fitted 
by his extended experience, observation and profound study of the human heart. 
His power of facile adaptation to any situation, his quick perception of require- 
ments, together with the advantages derived from previous service of three 
months at the outset of the Rebellion, enabled him to accept the responsibilities 
of his office in the confidence of helping the cause. "I can promote it, though 
I may not fight," he said; promote it by infusing the soldier with his own spirit, 
elevating sense of duty, strengthening resolution and animating courage; all 
of which makes men more manly, and without doubt when they turned over 
their arms and resumed their wonted places and work as civilians, they were 
better men for these lessons of discipline in the field, and few who understand it 
will fail to yield the grateful acknowledgment of due credit to the Chap- 
lain. * * • 

And now approaches the moment when I must speak of relinquishing the 
charge of the regiment, which, God be my witness, I tried to keep well, and of 
which I can truly say nothing in the experiences of my profession gave me 
greater interest, or more painful pleasure to put away. Father Hunt knows 
all about it. In addition, a more selfish sorrow aggravated this regret, the loss of 
the companionship of one whom I had learned to respect and to love, to lean 
upon as a pillar of wisdom. * * * I parted finally with Father Hunt, July 20, 
1864, — if that can be called parting which separates the body but leaves the 
spirit distinct in Faith's perpetual relief, and the drapery of his works. 

One quiet sunny Saljbath we walked over to Fort Saratoga to attend divine 
service. The text of his discourse was then prophetic of the fulfillment of his 
life: "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord; from henceforth, saith the 
Spirit. Yea, that they may rest from their labors and their works do follow 
them." 

A. A. GIBSON. 

Fryeburg, Me., November 6, 1877. 

Chaplain Hunt's description of Colonel Gibson follows : 

After remaining at home with the intention of resting in my old days, I 
was again and again invited to act as Chaplain by several regiments. Among these 
applications was one from the 2d Penna. Heavy Artillery (112th). I knew but 
one officer in it, but there was something so frank and gentlemanly in the 
Colonel's (A. A. Gibson's) letter to me, that I determined to accept the position. 
To my amazement I learned that the Colonel, of all men in the army, had the 
least confidence in chaplains, and that I must expect rough times with him. But 
I knew that if I did my duty he would not iniure me. So I determined to go on. 
Arriving at Fort Bunker Hill, or the defences of Washington, I found the Colonel 
absent. He had left a note politely inviting me to make his headquarters my 
home until other arrangements could be made for me. He returned in the 
afternoon and received me cordially. But he had formed some habits too common 
for West Pointers, and I saw at once that they would cause us trouble. When 
we retired to his private room, he expressed his gratification at my acceptance of 
the chaplaincy. I told him I was not mustered in yet, and did not intend to be, 
unless we could understand each other, so as to render our intercourse mutually 
agreeable. I wished to know what he expected of me as a gentleman and an 



36 



DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 



officer. He fairly and frankly gave me his views. I told him I thought I could 
comply with them, but he should know what I expected of him. I expected to 
be treated in all respects as a Rcntleman and Christian, and to be sustained in 
all my official efforts to repress immorality and to enforce the rules of morals 
in the army. He said my position was a reasonable one, and we would have 
no difficulty on that subject. I then asked him if he thought it would be treating 
me as a gentleman and Christian to repeat such conversation in my presence as 
I had heard from him that afternoon. Would I be doing my duty to suffer it? 
If not abandoned, did not my duty require that I should report it to the Adju- 
tant General? I intended to do my duty. He said he had met a Chaplain with 
my views, but he approved of them and would try to co-operate with me and 
would correct his own habits so as to give me no pain. I told him that I had 
no doubt of his sincerity in saying so, but how could he hope to succeed while 
his nature was unchanged? He must be converted; born again, before he could 
cease to do evil. This led to a long conversation that lasted till after midnight. 
The result was one of the most pleasant things that has ever fallen to my lot. 
The warmest and most sincere friend I have is this Colonel, and I have great 
faith in the expectation that our friendship will be perpetual, reaching into that 
unending joy and love that makes the name of Jesus, who saves from sin, not 
only precious now but glorious forever. I would love to record the letters 
I receive from him if I could do it without seeming impropriety. I hesitated to 
write what I have already written about him, but hope I have not invaded the 
domains of strict delicacy in doing so. 

Honorable Andrew G. Curtain, Governor of Pennsyl- 
vania visited and reviewed the Second Pennsylvania Heavy 
Artillery on the loth of February, 1864, his presence and 
remarks made to the officers and men were received with 
great satisfaction and rejoicing, and on the 12th of Feb- 
ruary, another review and brigade drill of the regiment (the 
regiment then composed a brigade) was witnessed by the 
Governor in a large pasture field near the Magruder Man- 
sion. Among other remarks made on this occasion, Gover- 
nor Curtin said : 

"So far as I know of military manoeuvering, and what I to-day 
witnessed, I am proud to say Pennsylvania has furnished a regiment of 
men to the United States that will compare with any other such organi- 
zation on the face of the earth, and I congratulate you, officers and men 
of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, being that regiment; 
and I feel confident your record will be equally maintained in battling 
with the enemy should opportunity present itself to test your fighting 
qualities." 

Among the officers of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy 
Artillery were many young and talented men. Some of 
the brightest of these were assigned to the different staff 
duties requisite at the various headquarters. One of these 
was Lieut. Edward S. Colwell, of Battery L, who for some 
time had l)een on duty at Col. Haskins' headquarters in 
Washington. He was mounting his horse on March 7, 
1864, j^renaratory to taking some part in a movement of 



DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. T^J 

the day, when his horse reared and threw him, and as he 
fell he struck his head against the curbstone. He died the 
next day. This was the first violent death in the regiment, 
and it made a deep impression upon the men, who felt it 
as a personal loss to themselves, especially those who formed 
his comradeship at Fort Delaware, which had grown into 
a warm friendship. 

As illustrating the feeling at the time, the action of the 
officers of the regiment in regard to his death will be the 
best shown in the following: 

"Headquarters ist Brig. Haskins' Dis., 22A A. C, Fort Bunker Hill, D. C. 

March 9, 1864. 
Orders. 

It becomes our painful duty to announce the death of a comrade and fellow 
soldier, First L,ieutenant Edward S. Colwell. He died at three o'clock last 
evening from injuries received by a fall from his horse in Washington the day 
previous. 

Lieutenant Colwell entered the service as Second Lieutenant of Captain Paul 
T. Jones' Independent Battery, at Fort Delaware, in December, 1861; he joined 
the regiment by the transfer of that battery in November, 1862; was soon after 
made First Lieutenant, and early last summer was appointed to the staff of 
the Division Commander. His military career was distinguished for the uniform 
blending of courtesy with devotion, cheerful promptitude with industry, quick 
perception with sound judgment. To those who knew him his best eulogy is the 
impression which he left upon their hearts; to those who do not, it is not in 
words to convey the beauty and worth of his character, and the bright promise 
of his usefulness so suddenly closed. By this melancholy event his friends and 
the regiment sustain a loss that is measured only by the sorrow which it creates. 
Honor the memory of the Christian soldier, faithful to his country and his God. 

II. All duty, not necessary to discipline, is suspended in the Brigade for 
the day, and the flag will be at half-mast until sunset. 

III. The officers of the Second Pennsylvania Artillery are respectfully in- 
vited to meet at headquarters at 10.30 o'clock this morning for measures of 
respect to the deceased. 

By Command of Col. A. A. Gibson, U. S. A. 

^ Signed) BENJ. F. WINGER, 

Lieut. A. A. A. Genl. 

The following is from the proceedings of a meeting of 
the officers of the Second Pennsylvania Artillery, assem- 
bled at Regimental Headquarters, Fort Bunker Hill, D. C, 
March 9, 1864, in pursuance of Col. Gibson's orders of 
that date : 

"On motion, the Rev. Thomas P. Hunt, Chaplain, took the chair, and Lieut. 
Thos. K. Mumford was appointed Secretary. On motion, Major Thomas Wilhelm, 
Captain Edward Rowand and Lieut. J. Norris were appointed a committee to 
prepare resolutions expressive of the regret felt in the loss sustained by the death 
of Lieut. Edward S. Colwell, a brother officer; which were presented and adopted 
unanimously as follows: 

Resolved, The remarks that 'Heaven loves to gather to itself the lovely,' is 
seldom more forcibly brought to mind than in the sudden and unexpected removal 
of Lieutenant Edward S. Colwell from friends mortal to join friends immortal 
in the light and love of eternity. If, in the light of Him wlio searches the heart. 
Lieutenant Colwell ever lacked one thing that thing was supplied by Him who 
giveth liberally to the needy. In the eyes of men he represented a character in 
which there was nothing wanting. In him was daily seen progression from 



38 DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 

strength to strength and a cultivation and exhibition of love to truth for truth's 
sake and devotion to every duty from a love of duty, and a regard to the rights 
of all from a love of right; so that he ioyfully, faithfully, wisely, winningly ren- 
dered to Csesar the things that were Caesar's, and to God the things that were 
God's. 

Resolved, That on hearing of the death of our deceased friend and comrade, 
and since that time, we can and do truly express our feelings in the words of 
Montgomery: 

'Our hearts grew cold, they felt not then, 
When shall the.y cease to feel again ?' 

Our consolation must be found in resignation to God, and our profit in emu- 
lating and in remembering the virtues of our friend. 

Resoli'ed, That our sympathies be extended to the parents and family of the 
deceased, with the assurance that while we mourn with them their loss, we also 
rejoice with them in the privilege of mourning over one worthy of those tears 
and sighs that know no regret or shame. 

Resolved, That we wear the usual badge of mourning thirty days. 

Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be furnished to the family of the 
deceased, and that these proceedings be published in the 'Philadelphia Inquirer' 
and 'National Intelligencer.' 

THOMAS P. HUNT, 
Chaplain 2d Artillery, P. V., Presiding." 

In the spring of 1864, General Grant, who was then 
in command of the Armies of the United States, l^egan 
reorganizing the Army of the Potomac, preparatory to 
a march on the Confederate capital, and, to give better as- 
surance of success to his plan, he began drawing on the 
Defences of Washington for seasoned and drilled troops. 
replacing them with others just recruited. 

President Lincoln insisted on the old troops being leti 
for the defence of Washington, but Gen. Grant assured 
him that the best way to protect Washington was to send 
these old troops towards Richmond. The prestige Gen. 
Grant had gained in the West made his opinion as a mili- 
tary man of great weight with President Lincoln and 
finally prevailed. 

Lieutenant Winger, A. A. Gen., held a review of the 
brigade (Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery) with 
some other troops, on the 19th of March, near the Magru- 
der mansion, and on the 21st inst. Major Morrell made 
his appearance again, paying the regiment for three months' 
services. 

Rumors of marching orders were mentioned on the 
24th of March, and on the following day orders were issued 
to the Captains of the respective Batteries to cook one day's 
rations and be prepared to march at ten o'clock the next 
morning. 

On the 26th of March the regiment packed knap- 
l/sacks and marched to Forts Ethan Allen and Marcy, just 



DEFENCKS OF WASHINGTON. 39 

across the Potomac, at Chain Bridge, on the Virginia side, 
where it reheved the 4th N. Y. Heavy Artillery, which 
went to join Grant. The mud and slush were ankle deep, 
the atmosphere very depressing, and consequently many 
fell hy the wayside, unahle to keep up the pace of the 
marching, which was very fast for troops unacquainted 
with marching' under heavy marching orders. 

All the Batteries, except B, C and M, were assigned 
to garrison duty in Fort Ethan Allen, while those Bat- 
teries designated were assigned to Fort Marcy. 

The Second Pennsylvania Fleavy Artillery was then 
the First Brigade of DeRussey's Division, Twenty-second 
Army Corps, and Colonel Gibson continued to be the com- 
mander of the Brigade. 

\\Miile at these forts, many incidents occurred, among 
which was an attempted midnight attack on ^May 3 by \y^ 
Moseby and White of the Confederate army. The picket 
firing commenced about twelve o'clock, and the bugles 
sounded "fall in" shortly after. In five minutes after the 
bugle call was sounded. Batteries G and D were inside Fort 
Ethan Allen and C at Fort Marcy, ready to man the guns. 
The other Batteries soon followed the advance, and Col- 
onel Gibson, in complimenting the men while in the forts, 
stated that every Battery was inside the forts and ready 
for action in less than ten minutes after the picket firing 
commenced. It is true many entered the fort half dressed, 
the writer himself carrying his blouse, shoes and stock- 
ings in his hands. The only thing objectionable to the 
manner in which the boys entered Fort Ethan Allen was 
the hurrah way in which it was done, and Colonel Gibson 
called attention to the fact, but added : 

"It tilled me with joy to see tlie eagerness, promptness and cheer- 
fulness displayed hy my conmiand to meet the enemy, and it will in- 
spire in me the fullest confidence that you will do your full duty with 
credit whenever the opportunity presents itself."' 

Immediately after the picket firing ceased, a detail 
was sent out from each fort to ascertain the cause thereof, 
with the result that a body of cavalry was seen approach- 
ing and refused to halt at command of the videttes. and, 



40 DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 

until the cheering heard from the forts, continued to ad- 
vance, driving the pickets in for some distance, but wheeled 
and fled as soon as they heard the cheering. 

After daylight, about lOO men, under command of 
Lieut. Philip Newkumet, of Battery C, were sent out to 
scour the country thereabouts, with the result that two 
men and a woman were brought in under guard and 
searched. The men were found to be wearing three suits of 
^ clothes each — farmer, Confederate and U. S. navy — and 
were sent under guard to Washington. The bodies of two 
other men, killed by the picket fire, were brought in, and 
were found to be dressed in garb similar to those two who 
were captured. 

A few nights after the above occurrence, the vidette 
from picket post No. 5, on the Leesburg Turnpike, was 
wounded in the foot and ear by bushwhackers. Sergeant 
\^ Gramlich, of Battery B, was relieving post No. 4 about 
9 o'clock, when he saw the flash of a musket in the woods 
in front of Post No. 5, and then the flash of the rifle of 
No. 5 vidette. He cried out: "Cease firing! Lay down!" 
and hastened to No. 5 post, about fifty feet distant, where 
he ascertained the picket had been wounded with buckshot. 
Sending the wounded picket to the fort, under escort of 
Corporal John Super, of Battery C, to report the firing, 
Sergeant Gramlich hurriedly gathered sixteen of his pickets 
and scoured the woods, arresting an old man and a boy 
4iear Little Bethel Church, but they were released by Col- 
onel Gibson after questioning them, they proving their 
innocence by an alibi. Lieutenant Barber of Battery M, 
with fifty men, a Sergeant and a Corporal were sent out 
from Fort Marcy to scour the country, but accomplished 
nothing; thus the incident was ever after referred to as 
"the turnpike mystery," and gave rise to many debates as 
to "who shot No. 5 ?" 

Soon after occupying Forts Ethan Allen and Marcy, 
the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was drilled in 
\ heavy marching order daily, and then, with knapsack, haver- 
sack and forty rounds of ammunition to carry, the men 
began to realize the true recjuisites of active soldier life. 
Howe\er, very little, if any, complaining could be heard 



DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 4I 

among the men, they evidently reaHzing its necessity, and 
the regiment soon thereafter reaHzed the benefits derived 
therefrom. 

The regiment having become numerically too large to 
constitute a single regiment, the War Department, on the 
i8th of April, 1864, issued an order to organize the sur- 
plus into a separate regiment, which was done under Spe- 
cial Orders No. 153, on the 20th of April, 1864, and the 
new regiment, composed mostly of new recruits, was 
known as the Provisional Second Pennsylvania Heavy 
Artillery, officers for which were supplied by promotions 
of commissioned and non-commissioned officers of the Sec- 
ond Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery. 

This new regiment lay in camp near Fort Ethan Allen 
until the 26th of April, when it marched to Alexandria, 
Va., and was soon thereafter attached to the Ninth Army 
Corps. 

Prior to the Provisional Regiment leaving. Colonel 
Gibson paraded the old regiment and had it escort its off- 
spring about two miles on its march to Alexandria ; then, 
with open ranks, gave it a parting salute, with "Present 
arms!" as it passed through. 

There was never a promotion in military life that 
some one does not feel hurt, and the organization of the 
Provisional Regiment was no exception to the rule. A 
great deal of power naturally fell into Colonel Gibson's 
hands in the selection of new officers, and many of the old 
officers were sorely vexed and disappointed at not being 
considered in the appointment of ofificers for the new regi- 
ment. Partiality was openly charged and fully discussed 
in all quarters. The feeling of dissatisfaction was so acute 
that many officers did not speak to the Colonel or go to his 
headquarters for some time except as duty or military eti- 
quette required. This feeling continued to grow until the 
old regiment was also ordered to join Grant, at the front. 

The dissatisfaction in the old Second Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery was openly recognized by Colonel Gib- 
son in an appeal for good feeling on the part of all that he 
made one day on dress parade at Fort Ethan Allen, just 



42 DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 

before the regiment left the Defences of Washington and 
embarked for the front. 

On the 1 6th day of May, 1864, Colonel Gibson re- 
ceived orflers to l)e ready to move the Second Pennsyl- 
vania Heavy Artillery at short notice, and on the follow- 
ing day, about 4 o'clock P. M., Batteries A, G, H and I fell 
in and marched to Fort Whipple, about five miles farther 
down the Potomac river, where the command was split 
up and garrisons were sent to Forts Smith, Bennett, Strong, 
Corcoran, Morton, Cass, Scott, Albany, Jackson, McPher- 
son, Morton, and one or two others, relieving troops there- 
in, that they might join Grant's army at the front. The 
several details of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery- 
at these forts w^ere daily engaged in drilling other troops, 
among them being the 164th Ohio Volunteers. 

On the 23(1 of May, 1864, Colonel Gibson removed his 
headquarters from Fort Ethan Allen to Fort Corcoran, 
leaving Forts Ethan Allen and Marcy under command of 
Major Anderson, who continued the daily drills commenced 
by the Colonel. 

Orders were received at five o'clock A. M. on the 
25th of May, 1864, to cook five days' extra rations, and 
be prepared to march at 12 o'clock noon. Other troops not 
being sent to relieve the regiment, the orders w-ere not 
fully executed, but were repeated on the 27th of the same 
month, when the whole of Colonel Gibson's regiment was 
relieved by a battalion of "too days' men" from Ohio, 
and at 7 o'clock A. M. the regiment marched to Washing- 
ton, by way of Fort Whipple and the Acjuaduct bridge, 
the several detachments at the forts before mentioned fall- 
ing in line as the regiment reached them. 

1'he regiment passed in review at the Executive Man- 
sion, or White House, as it is better known, President Lin- 
coln and Secretary Stanton being of the reviewing party. 

Passing down Pennsylvania Avenue to Sixth Street, 
thence to the I'otomac ri\er, the regiment embarked on four 
transports — "N(jrthemer," 'A\'awassett," "Young Amer- 
ica" and "Ocean Wave" — at noon. The "Northerner" be- 
ing much the larger boat, and the fastest, had the field and 
staff officers on board, in addition to four l)attcries of the 



DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 43 

regiment, the balance thereof being about equally divided 
among the other three boats. The crowding on the boats 
was rather uncomfortable, and, to many, they were con- 
sidered "hazardous tubs to be upon." 

However, the boats left port about 2 o'clock P. M. that 
same day, and proceeded down the Potomac river, thence 
up the Rappahanock, nothing special transpiring until just 
before daylight the next morning, May 28th, after entering 
the last mentioned river, when the "Northerner" and the 
"Wawassett" began to race. After proceeding thus for 
about a mile, the machinery of the last named boat broke 
down, and the "Northerner" took it in tow, but when oppo- 
site Tappahannock station, about thirty miles below Port 
Royal, the "Northerner" ran fast aground on a shoal. 
While in that position, a Confederate battery of six guns 
took position on the hill back of Tappahannock station, and 
was, apparently, preparing to fire on the grounded boat, but 
just at this critical moment the U. S. gunboat "Georgia" 
hove in sight and, firing two shots in rapid succession, dis- 
abled two of the enemy's guns, killed three or four horses, 
and put the enemy to flight ere they could lire a single shot. 

After the Confederates retreated, the "Georgia" went 
alongside the stranded boat and many of the men thereon 
were transferred to the decks of the gunboat, thus permit- 
ting the transport to again float. 

In transferring the men from the transport to the 
gunboat, the guard of the former became caught under 
that of the latter, and when released it caused the "Georgia" 
to lurch, one or two men sliding off the deck as the lurch 
took place, one of whom was slig'htly hurt, the other receiv- 
ing a ducking only The rocking of the gunboat con- 
tinued until Port Royal was reached, where the regiment 
disembarked, at four o'clock that afternoon, May 28, 1864. 

Mrs. Susannah Krips. wife of William H. Krips, 
Battery C, was with the regiment in the fortifications 
around Washington in the capacity of laundress, as were 
some three or four other women, but when the Second 
Pennsylvania Artillery left for the front, ]\Irs. Krips, im- 
bued with a desire to continue in the work of aiding the 
cause in some capacity, applied for and received an a])point- 



44 DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 

ment as nurse, and continued as such until the close of 
the war. The following is her experience : 

Philadelphia, December 2, 1903. 

Mr. Ward: On the loth of December, 1863, I left Philadelphia, 
Pa., to join my husband, William H. Krips, a member of Battery C, 
2nd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery (112th Regiment Pa. Vols.), then 
stationed at Fort Thayer, Defences of Washington. 

By permission of Colonel Gibson and Lieutenant Higgins, I was 
installed as laundress for Battery C, and in that capacity was with 
the regiment eight months. 

While with the regiment I enjoyed perfect respect from all the 
men, except on one occasion at Fort Thayer, when, after the regiment 
had been paid, in January, 1864, a member of Battery C, under the 
influence of liquor, came to Mrs. Well's cabin, where I was visiting, 
and acted very rude. He was put out by my husband and Mr. Wells, 
when he drew a knife to stab them. He was arrested by the guard 
after trying to hide in some bushes, and later was court-martialed 
and sentenced to three months with ball and chain. 

Shortly after that the regiment went to Fort Ethan Allen and 
Fort Marcy, across the chain bridge. With my chattels I went in a 
government wagon, and the boys secured for me a nice log cabin, just 
outside the fort, on top of a hill and about a half mile from the Poto- 
mac river, on the Leesburg pike. Batteries B, C and M occupied 
Fort Marcy, under command of Major Anderson. I had charge of 
the officers' table for about two months, when Mrs. Baker, wife of 
Corporal Baker, and their daughter, took charge of the mess. I then 
had the clothes of 94 men to look after. 

Mr. Krips was detailed as detective in General Augur's depart- 
ment. During his absence a colored woman came to my cabin one 
night and said she saw "Massa Moseby riding up the creek on his 
horse," and on investigation it was found to be true that he was so 
reconoitering. Pickets were stationed at the creek thereafter. 

A short time later one of Battery C's men was shot in the big toe 
by one of Moseby's men. He was the first man in the regiment shot 
by the enemy. 

One morning in April, when the pickets returned to the fort and 
fired their rifles off at a target, as was the custom, Corporal Hill per- 
mitted me to fire his musket. The target was an old tin coffee pot 
placed on a stump one hundred yards distant. I hit it square in the 
centre, and the boys cheered me as an "Amizonian." 

When the regiment was ordered to the front all the women were 
ordered home, except me. Major Anderson said if I wanted to go 
to the front with the regiment I could do so. Papers were made out 
to send to General Augur for my transportation, but I changed my 
mind, and turned my attention to the great need of help in the hos- 
pitals. 

It was a sad day to me when I waved good-bye to the boys, and, 
alas! for the last time to many of them, for they never came back; 
and I shall never forget the 27th day of May, 1864, as a very sad 
event, though I entertain pleasant recollections of my services in the 
defences of Washington. 



DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 45 

After the regiment left for the front I went to Capitol Hill Hos- 
pital, in Washington, where I served a short time as nurse, and was 
then transferred to Jarvis Hospital, at Baltimore, Md., and later to 
Slough General Hospital, at Alexandria, Va., where I remained until 
the war was over, and the hospitals were being closed and the men 
transferred to other hospitals in the Northern States, near where 
were their homes. 

I now look back to my army life and career of over two years 
with great pleasure, and thank God I was able to fight disease and 
wounds and save many lives of our brave boys who fought and 
suffered to save the glorious flag and country we now adore and enjoy. 

Yours for 'Old Glory,' 

MRS. SUSANNAH KRIPS, 
S>'. Vice-Pres. Army Nurses of Civil War. 

Prior to leaving Washington, many officers and men 
of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery were detailed 
to remain and drill the fresh troops garrisoning the fortifi- 
cations ; a few officers also remained to finish up work 
assigned them. Among the latter was Surgeon Griswold 
and Quartermaster William H. Melcher, both of whom, 
however, rejoined the regiment on its arrival at Cold Har- 
bor a week later, reaching there via White House Landing. 

Lieutenant Thomas Porterfield, replying to the toast : 
"The Defences of Washington," at the reunion of the Sec- 
ond Pennsylvania Veteran Heavy Artillery held at Watson- 
town, Pa., in 1893, said: 

"Comrades, let me assure you that I utter no mere words of 
formality when I say to you that I am glad to be with you once 
again. I look forward to these reunions in anticipation of a great 
deal of pleasure, and number them amongst the most happpy hours 
of my life. 

Assembled here to-day, memory apparently losing its hold upon 
the present, turns back and paints in tints of youthful rem.embrance 
events that have long since passed and gone. There comes back to 
us the camp, the march, the fray, and the dreadful battle, where so 
many of our comrades fell ; what fond memories cluster around these 
old familiar names of Forts Lincoln, Thayer, Saratoga, Bunker Hill, 
Totten, Massachusetts, Marcy and Ethan Allen. There we first 
formed these ties of comradeship which bind us together, and bring 
many of you from far distant homes to renew these old memories, 
and to pledge ourselves anew to keep them ever fresh while a single 
survivor lives. It was there that our grand old regiment earned for 
itself the well merited title of being the best drilled and best disciplined 
regiment of any in the volunteer service — not only in one branch of 
military tactics, but in all the varied arts and usages of warfare. There 
was not an enlisted man in the regiment who would not have done 
honor to an officer's commission in so far as the "School of the Soldier" 
was concerned. By your conduct as gentlemen and soldiers you en- 



46 DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 

deared yourselves to the citizens and authorities, and so secure did 
they feel under your protection that they scarcely knew war existed, 
aitliough almost on their very threshold. 1 utter this in no vainglori- 
ous boast, nor pronounce it from any self-laudatory spirit, I avouch it 
on well recognized and proven facts, the truth of which has been fully 
verified, and for which you were complimented upon more than one 
occasion by President Lincoln himself. 

When the Second Pennsylvania Artillery assumed command of the 
"Defences of Washington," they were defences in name only, having 
no real existence — mere piles of earth thrown up promiscuously here, 
and there, without any detail whatever. When you delivered them 
into the hands of your successors they were the admiration of every 
loyal heart and a terror to every enemy of the Union. They were 
the work of your hands; the creation of your brain; monuments of 
skilled labor, which will stand to your honor while this Nation has 
a history. 

The Defences of Washington occupy a very prominent part in 
the history of the War of the Rebellion ; they are said to be the 
most formidable of their kind ever before known. The most skilled 
officers and engineers, not alone of our own Government, but of foreign 
nations, who had come from afar to view them ; men who had made 
this branch of warfare a life studj-, pronounced them impregnable, 
acknowledged that they had learned from you something new in the 
art of war. 

There is nothing, however, the soldier wearies of more than this 
daily routine of duty. You were no exception to this rule; you longed 
for a more active service ; your officers, entering into the same spirit, 
sent petition after petition to the authorities asking to be at once 
relieved and ordered to the front. No sooner, however, were they 
made known than counter petitions followed from the citizens, and 
the authorities themselves, having a special pride in your ability to 
guard well the post of honor to which you had been assigned, viz. : 
guarding liberty at its very gates, refused to comply with your request. 
The final blow, or what at that time was considered to be the final 
blow, at Rebellion had been planned. Then at the earnest request 
of General Grant himself they at last yielded a reluctant consent to 
your withdrawal. There were those at that time who doubted your 
ability, unused as you were to withstand the fatigue of long marches 
or the hardships of the battlefield. As an answer to all such, let your 
record speak. Your march from Cold Harbor to White House Land- 
ing had never been equaled, while of your bravery in the battlefield 
the daily papers of the country speak in no unmistakable language 
after your first engagement with the enemy in front of Petersburg, 
i quote from the headlines of the Philadelphia Inquirer as follows: 
"The Second Pennsylvania Heavy .A.rtillery in Battle! Doing 
Duty as Infantry, Their Maiden Effort Crowned with Victory. 
Bravery Unprecedented ! They vie with older troops in the field, and 
v.on piaise tiom iheir connnanding officers. Every foot of ground 
hotly contested by the flower of Lee's .■Xrmy. A grand Union victory." 
1 hus it was until the surrender at Appomatox, and long after you 
ir.crited the same praise. 

Comrades, many of your faces are still familiar to me, though 
more than a quarter century has passed since 1 bid you farewell at 
Fort Harrison. There are t)thers whom I would have loved to meet 
here to-day; many of them since the close of the war have gone to 



DEFENCES OF WASHINGTON. 47 

join their comrades whose white tents shine through the mist beyond 
the river. Their record has been completed, whether they yielded up 
their lives in the tented field or on the battleground; whether victims 
of a loathsome prison pen, and lie buried in an unknown grave; 
whether members of the old regiment, or comrades of the new, they 
have served their country and did their whole duty. 

Comrades, standing here to-day, calling to mind one short chapter 
in your history, it shall ever be my fondest memory — my proudest 
boast — to say with you that I, too, am a comrade of the Second Penn- 
sylvania Veteran Heavy Artillery." 



48 



CHAPTER III. 

On the March. 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, after dis- 
embarking at Port Royal, went into camp about a quarter 
of a mile from the landing, with other troops, and while 
at Port Royal guard and picket duty was its daily avoca- 
tion, interspersed with some drilling. 

The regiment, while at Port Royal, was attached to 
a Provisional Division of troops formed there to protect 
the left flank of the Army of the Potomac on its march to 
Richmond. 

The time consumed at Port Royal was employed in 
getting together the necessary supplies, supply trains, etc., 
in order to consummate a forced march toward Cold 
Harbor. 

The Provisional Division consisted of the Second 
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, the Tenth New York 
Heavy Artillery, a regiment of stragglers, deserters, etc., 
under command of Colonel Gregory, Capt. John B. Eaton's 
battery of light artillery, a squadron of cavalry, and a 
pontoon train in charge of Capt. Henderson, all under com- 
mand of Colonel Gibson. 

After formation of the Division, five days' "marching 
rations" and eighty rounds of cartridges were issued to 
the men. Among the rations was hard biscuit (hardtack), 
the first of that commodity ever enjoyed ( ?) by the men 
of the "Second Heavy," and it certainly was hard, and, as 
one man said, "old enough to vote." 



ON THE MARCH. 



49 




ROUTE OF MARCH. 
Port Royal to Cold Harbor, Va. 

The command left Port Royal about 1.30 o'clock 
P. AI., on May 31st, after having destroyed by fire all 
surphis clothing, baggage, etc. 



50 ON THE MARCH. 

The atmosphere was very hot, the roads very sandy 
and dusty (some places over shoe top), as well as heated 
by the intense rays of the sun. 

The route of march led toward Bowling Green, but 
nothing appeared to indicate fighting having taken place 
thereon, the fences and crops, as well as stock, fowl, etc., 
being in pretty good condition. 

After the first day's march the sun's effect began to 
cause prostrations, and the men started to unload, throw- 
ing away such articles of clothing as they thought they 
could spare. Soon the road was littered with overcoats, 
blankets, caps, coats, blouses, pants, underclothing, and 
even drums. The latter, having been issued to the regi- 
ment just before leaving Fort Ethan Allen, was a new 
"instrument" to the regiment, but was unpopular, as the 
men were accustomed to bugle calls and preferred them 
to the "rat-a-ta-tap." After the second day's march it is 
questionable whether a single drum could be found in the 
regiment. 

Moseby's and White's bands of guerillas were con- 
stantly on the flanks of the Division, occasionally causing 
extra marching and countermarching of the Division, evi- 
dently to evade them at points where the nature of the 
ground would give them advantage in a conflict, and again 
in efforts of the Division officers to bring on a conflict 
when it favored successful results to them. 

The first day's march was concluded about 11.30 
P. M., with but 15 minutes given for rest from time of 
commencement to when tents were pitched for the night, 
in a large clover field on the left of the road. With the 
cavalry on guard, the Ijalance of the Division slept until 
about 3 o'clock the next morning, June i. 

After breakfasting, the march was resumed. The 
weather was still intensely hot, very many men being pros- 
trated and sunstruck before noon, at about which time Mat- 
tacocy creek, a branch of the Mattapony river, was reached, 
then Bowling Green, the first water in any quantity had 
since leaving the Rappahannock at P(^rt Royal. 

[Tere a halt of over one hour was had. wliich was 



ON THE MARCH. 5I 

utilized by the men of the Division in cooking what rations 
they possessed, making coffee, etc. 

To iUustrate the intensity of the sun's rays that day, 
the writer, in scouting- to the left of the road, came across 
a spring of ice-cold water, from which he filled his can- 
teen, and after its being exposed to the rays of the sun 
less than fifteen minutes it became so hot that it was 
almost impossible to drink it without blistering the mouth. 

The march from Bowling Green was taken up about 
1.30 o'clock P. M., and no halt was made until the Matta- 
pony river was reached at Milford Bridge, Where a rest of 
about ten minutes was had, after which the march was 
continued until about lo o'clock P. M., at which time the 
atmosphere suddenly changed and a very severe rainstorm 
set in. The Division then went into bivouac in a corn 
field to the left of the road, the command having marched 
about sixteen miles that day. 

Some time in the afternoon, after leaving Bowling 
Green, the Division passed the remains of some govern- 
ment wagons destroyed by Moseby when he found them 
encumbering him in his efforts to evade a conflict with Col- 
onel Gibson's command. 

On June 2d, about 3.30 A. M., "fall in" was sounded, 
and without time to get any breakfast being given, the 
march was resumed, rain continuing to come down in 
torrents, interspersed with peals of thunder and vivid 
flashes of lightning; the atmosphere being very suppress- 
ing. The Pole Cat riv^ was crossed about 10 o'clock A. M. 

The rain ceased about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, and 
the sun, almost immediately, again made its appearance, 
"in all its glory," as Colonel Gibson remarked to Colonel 
Piper of the Tenth New York Heavy Artillery. 

About 9 o'clock A. M. a fork in the road was reached, 
where a halt was made to rest, but in less than five min- 
utes' time "fall in" sounded, and the column, on the double- 
cjuick, marched to the rear. "What does this mean?" "Is 
this a retreat?" and many other such queries were pro- 
pounded by one man to another. 

After so "retreating" about five miles, a burning bridge 
on the Pole Cat river was discovered, and it was then ascer- 



52 



ox THE MARCH. 



tained that the rapid "retrograde movement" was made to 
intercept INIoseby's band of guerillas before it crossed the 
above-named river ; but he had successfully eluded his pur- 
suers, burned the bridge behind him, and the only satis- 
faction derived from the "movement" was to see the bridge 
burn and the dust made by Moseby's troopers on the op- 
posite banks of the stream, not a shot being fired by either 
of the opposing forces. After this incident some ten or 
fifteen minutes were spent in resting, after which the col- 
umn again moved forward and shortly after the booming 




LEW. C. FOSNOT 

BaUery G. Publisher of the h'ccoid ami Star, Watsontown, Pa. 

of cannon to the right and front of the Division could be 
plainly heard, possibly six or eight miles distant, but. ap- 
parently, moving forward from time to time, indicating 
a running fight being carried on between the Army of the 
Potomac and the enemy. 

The Division continued the marcli until near midnight. 
when it went into bivouac in a clover field, the men lying 
on arms during the night. 



ON THE MARCH. 53 

Rain had again commenced to descend about 9 o'clock 
P. M. and continued throughout the night. 

While on the march, no fires were permitted after 
nightfall, consequently very little opportunity to cook any 
rations was had. The only exceptions being when some 
daring soldiers would build a fire, cover it over with shelter 
tent, blankets and portions of their clothing, to obscure 
the light therefrom while cooking, doing so at the peril 
of carrying the "wooden horse" next day if discovered. 

The fourth day of the march, June 3, 1864, found 
the men in line again at 5 o'clock A. M., the command, 
"Forward, march"' being given shortly thereafter, and the 
first rest given the men was near noon, at Aylett's tavern. 

Except the sound of cannon and musketry, occasion- 
ally, to the right of the column, nothing of importance pre- 
sented itself until about noon, shortly after which time the 
desultory firing to the right became more pronounced and 
continuous, indicating an engagement in force taking place. 

The marching of the Division was increased to a 
double-quick at intervals during the balance of the after- 
noon, when, footsore, weary and almost completely ex- 
hausted, a halt was made about seven o'clock, the ambu- 
lances, wagon trains, etc, being overloaded with men who 
had ceased being able to continue the march, the severity 
of which was trying in the extreme to the powers of the 
most capable men participating therein. After a short rest, 
the column again moved forward, halting about midnight, 
near the Pamunky river, having covered over twenty miles 
that day. No tents were pitched, the men and officers as 
well, completely exhausted, lay down where they stood when 
halted and the command "rest" was given. 

At 4 o'clock A. M. of the following day, June 4th, 
marching was resumed. The Pamunky river was reached, 
the pontoons hurriedly laid and the command crossed over 
about 2 o'clock P. M., when the pontoons w'ere taken up 
and_the march continued. 

The cannonading and musketry firing heard in the 
early part of the day ceased, and nothing but an occasional 
shot by skirmishers or sharpshooters was heard. 

During the afternoon of this dav General Burnside's 



54 ON THE MARCH. 

Ninth Corps headquarters were passed by the Division. 
Then leaving the Mechanicsville pike, the Division turned 
to the left, passing through a grove of pines, after which, 
about 4 o'clock P. M., the Provisional Second Pennsyl- 
vania Heavy Artillery was met and a mighty shout of joy 
from each regiment echoed throughout the woods as the 
"Second Heavy" men shook hands with the "boys" of its 
offspring. Some of the men had a good time shaking 
hands in a jolly manner, while others were saddened at 
the news of the loss of dear comrades with whom they had 
parted alive and happy a short month before, but were 
now sleeping the sleep that knows no waking on the fields 
of Spottsylvania, North Ann, the Wilderness and other 
places made sacred by their heroic deeds of valor. 

Marching on until near midnight over some of Mc- 
Clellan's corduroy roads, in the best of spirits from having 
met the "Provisional boys," the regiment, weary and sore 
from a day's march of over twenty miles, bivouaced in a 
clump of woods until daylight. 

June 4th, 1864. (Received 4.10 p. m.) 
General S. Williams: 

I have arrived at General Warren's headquarters with my com- 
mand, 6,350 men, who have had no rations or forage since ycsterdaj'. 
By General Warren's advice, I shall camp near Woody's to-night, and 
request to be furnished with rations at that point if possible. I have a 
pontoon train and 150 wagons, containing nothing but a little baggage. 

A. A. GIBSON, 
Colonel of the Second Pennsylvania Vol. Artillery. 

Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 

June 4th, 1864 — 8.10 p. m. 
Maj. Gen. W. F. Smith, 

Commanding liightcenth Army Corps: 
The Tenth New York and the Second Pennsylvania Regiments of 
Heavy Artillery brought to this army to-day with the command of 
Col. A. A. Gibson, have lieen assigned to your corps. These regiments 
are to-night in the vicinity of the Woodv house. 

S. WILLIAMS, 

Assistant Adjutant-General. 

After a night's rest, the Division again fell in about 
5 o'clock on the morning of June 5th, and at about nine 
o'clock A M. Colonel Gibson reported with his command 
to Gen. S. Williams, Asst. Adj't General, who assignied the 
regiment to General William V. Smith ( "Baldy Smith"), 



ON THE MARCH, 55 

commanding the i8th Army Corps, at Cold Harbor, which 
was stationed on the left of the Ninth Corps. 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was then 
assigned to the Third Brigade of General Martindale's 
2d Division of the i8th Corps, Army of the James, and 
went into camp beside a band of Indians, who were used 
as sharpshooters. 



56 



CHAPTER IV. 
Cold Harbor. 

Footsore, weary, hungry and straggling, the Second 
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, without rations or water, 
pitched tents immediately after assignment, and rations 
were soon thereafter served the men, but water was scarce 
and very bad at that. Quartermaster Melcher and Surgeon 
Griswold, who were left in Washington to fix up matters 
pertaining to their office, rejoined the regiment on its ar- 
rival at Cold Harbor, they having gone there from Wash- 
ington via White House Landing. 

Up to this time the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery 
knew nothing about "graybacks," except from hearsay, and 
what appeared in newspapers, but it had not long been in 
camp beside the Indians before every man in the regiment 
gave unmistakable evidence of personal ac(iuaintance with 
the soldiers' companion that had the reputation of sticking 
closer than a brother. 

Soon after going into camp, without waiting to pitch 
tents, many men of the regiment went over to visit com- 
rades and relatives in the Provisional regiment, and there 
learned of the latter regiment's losses in the Wilderness 
battles. 

On the march from Port Royal to Cold Harbor, o\-er 
65 miles, without counting the retrograde movements, there 
were very few men in the Division who had not suffered, 
more or less, from the heat, and on arriving at Cold Harbor 
were \er}' hungry. Nearly every member of the Second 
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery appeared very haggard and 
worn out, and as they had had nothing to eat the last two 



COLD HARBOR. 57 

da3's of the march, added to the tired and sore conchtion of 
the regiment, its abihties to go into action that day were 
far below par; nevertheless it was formed in line of battle 
about 12 o'clock, June 5, and without a murmur, advanced 
to a position in an open field immediately in front of the 
enemy, who commenced a terrific cannonade upon it, how- 
ever without any serious consequences, for the regiment 
was ordered to fall back under cover of a hill, which was 
done in perfect order and alignment. Here rations were 
issued to the regiment by Quartermaster Melcher, and were 
fylly appreciated and relished by the men. 

My Dear Comrade Ward: 

You remember I was the Quartermaster of the Second Pennsyl- 
vania Veteran Heavy Artillery, therefore my duties kept me in the 
rear, and, consequently, can only give you the experience of one who 
knew what was going on there. 

I was ordered to remain in Washington when the regiment started 
for the front, to transfer a lot of army stores I had in my possession, 
which required three days to accomplish. Surgeon Griswold and I 
went to White House Landing on the steamer "Daniel Webster," and 
from there to Cold Harbor, arriving there five days before the regi- 
ment did. We were like lost sheep, with nothing to eat, our stock 
of terrapin, chicken, etc., having been eaten on the way down. 

Soon as the regiment arrived at Cold Harbor we reported to 
Colonel Gibson. I found our wagon train was rather close to the 
"front," and suggested taking them farther to the rear, out of harm's 
way. The Colonel, with a wave of his hand, said : "Oh, take them 
around there !" indicating about 30 yards away. I did so and asked 
Adjutant Grugan for a double guard, which he granted. I then 
instructed the teamsters to unhitch the teams, but not to take off the 
harness. The Adjutant wanted to know the necessity for a doub'e 
guard. I explained that our position was too close to the enemy, 
and they would soon shell us ; and without a substantial guard the 
teamsters might create a stampede. I had hardly said so when the 
shells commenced to drop around us, and at once we hitched up and 
"fell back in good order," with the loss of but one old canteen, the 
property of the writer. That was my first experience in the "shell 
game." But many times after that we enjoyed (?) a repetition, as 
occasion required our presence near the front. In fact, T became. 
at times, reckless, in order to know what was going on at the front, 
but am now glad it is all over, and that I belonged to a regiment 
whose services and achievements compare favorably with the best 
volunteers — the nation's hope — in the War of the Rebellion. 
Yours in F., C. & L.. 

WM. H. MELCHER, 
1909 W. Venango St., Philadelphia. 

That night, about 8 o'clock, the enemy charged the 
i8th Corps picket line, when the Second Pennsylvania 



58 COLD HARBOR. 

Heavy Artillery was again quickly formed into line of bat- 
tle and advanced to support the pickets, but as the pickets 
held their position the regiment returned to camp without 
getting into action. 

The regiment's stay in camp was of short duration, 
for about 10 o'clock that night it was again formed in 
line and marched to a position immediately in rear of the 
picket line, where the regiment was put to work in felling 
trees and building fortifications, the enemy keeping up a 
heavy and continuous fire upon it with artillery and mus- 
ketry throughout the night ; nevertheless, the regiment con- 
tinued with its work until about 7 o'clock A. M. of the 6th 
of June, when it was moved some distance to the left and 
lay on arms until about 7 o'clock P. M., when it moved 
forward some distance and was again engaged in build- 
ing breastworks and batteries until daylight of June 7th, 
at which time shells again rained around it, but, being 
under cover of the earthworks, very little, if any, casualties 
took place in the regiment's ranks. The enemy made an 
attack that night, but the Second Pennsylvania Heavy 
Artillery repulsed it without any loss. 

The regiment remained in these fortifications and 
breastworks at Cold Harbor, under fire from the artillery 
and musketry, including sharpshooters, until the night of 
the loth of June. 

A Federal battery of six guns immediately in front 
of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, which 
the regiment was supporting, was very annoying 
to the Confederates, who, on the morning of the 
9th of June, got range thereon, and in a very short time 
disabled and silenced it, after which the dropping of shot 
and shell in the regiment's immediate vicinity ceased — a 
verification of the adage that ''it is an ill wind that blows 
no one any good." 

Under cover of darkness, on the night of June 10, 
1864, the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was moved 
to the right and front, where it built a line of earthworks 
and occupied them during its stay at Cold Harbor, exces- 
sive duty and vigilance being requisite to maintain the 
position, as Confederate .sharpshooters during the day and 



COLD HARBOR. 59 

mortar shells at night admonished the men to be continu- 
ally on the alert. These earthworks were built through a 
swampy piece of ground on the edge of some woods, and 
connected the right of the i8th Corps with that of the 9th 
Corps' left. 

Cold Harbor might have been an appropriate name 
for this place at one time, but during the Second Pennsyl- 
vania Heavy Artillery's stay there it was hot enough for 
the most enthusiastic war veteran. There was a continu- 
ous firing all along the line, day and night, with both small 
arms and cannon. The particular locality of the regiment 
was swampy and the water bad. The weather was hot, 
too, as well as the firing, and tempers were anything but 
serene. 

After ten days in this place, which was a continuous 
battle. Gen. Grant decided on a flank movement, changing 
his base of operations to City Point. 

About 12.30 o'clock on the night of the 12th of June, 
under lock-step and the fire of musketry and artillery by 
the enemy, the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery 
marched, by the right flank, out of the earthworks to the 
road in the rear thereof, on reaching which the command, 
"Double up, double quick, march !" was given, evidently 
indicating a retreat or flank movement being undertaken. 

With little or no water in the canteens of the men, 
the atmosphere very sultry, and the roads exceedingly 
dusty, the road to White House Landing on the Pamunky 
river was taken, and the regiment's file closers were given 
strict orders to see that no straggling whatever should 
occur, as it was the rear of the army. 

The 9th Corps, which had preceded the i8th Corps in 
evacuating the works at Cold Harbor, was overtaken in 
a part of the road running through a dense woods, and in 
attempting to pass, it being very dark at that juncture, 
considerable confusion and mixing up of the several regi- 
ments and companies occurred, which, however, finally 
resulted in a separation at a fork in the road — the 9th Corps 
going to the right and the Second Pennsylvania Heavy 
Artillery to the left. 



6o COLD HARBOR. 

After a short halt to "close up," the regiment again 
started off on a "'doiible-quick." and continued on until 
about six o'clock A. M., June 13th, at which time White 
House Landing was reached, a march of twenty-two miles 
in about five hours. 

On arriving at White House Landing the command 
bivouaced a short distance from the river, thus affording 
ample oportunity to bathe, cook some rations, etc. 

Captain Baggs, commanding Battery D, thus describes 
his experience in the evacuation of and march from Cold 
Harbor : 

"We knew nothing of the contemplated movement until the even- 
ing of the move. At midnight we were ordered out on the trenches 
and told that we were the last vroops left on that part of the line and 
that we must move very quietly or the rebels would hear us and pursue 
us with their cavalry. We were got into line by some officer that I 
do not now recall the name and told that we must reach White House 
Landing by daylight, and that was twenty miles away. Our march 
progressed favorably until we came to a cross road and there our com- 
mand was cut just as the head of Battery D reached the line, and we 
were told we could not go until Burnside's command passed. They 
had the right of way. 

After waiting about one hour we resumed our march, but without 
a superior officer or a guide of any kind. The balance of our command 
had passed on and of course was out of sight and sound. For a while 
the stragglers indicated the way they had gone but finally we arrived 
at a point where the roads branched and there was no one to direct 
which to take. There was no stragglers or even any knapsacks, 
blankets or other articles along the road to indicate which was the 
right road. At a venture I decided to take the left hand road, which 
fortunately proved to be the right one, and after marching a mile or 
more we began to see evidences that troops had passed that way. 

Many men gave out here and I felt almost ready to give up my- 
self. My feet were so sore and I was so tired that I felt I did not 
care if I was captured, that I was most dead anyhow. About this time 
we were hearing such dreadful reports of the way the rebels were 
treating our prisoners that death was preferable to captivity. Bearing 
in mind this condition of things, my feelings can be imagined, but I 
have not the command of language to describe them. 

About daybreak we were cheered that the White House Landing 
was only a few miles further and that we were possibly safe from pur- 
suit, as our gunboats were at anchor there. On arriving at the landing 
we were shown where our encampment was to be and we dragged 
ourselves to the place and rested for several hours before we attempted 
anything like an orderly encampment. 

Michael MuUins. our artificer, was one of the first to get his coffee 
made. It was made in his own tincup, was without sugar and as black 
as coal, but very strong. He offered me some, and I think I never 
tasted anything so good as that coffee tasted at that time." 



COLD HARBOR. 6 1 

At White House Landing the Second Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery realized its first experience of the works 
of those two God-like commissions, "Christian" and "Sani- 
tary" — in the welfare of the soldiers, carried out so ener- 
getically, efficient and acceptable no less at "the front" than 
in the hospital and camp. The above Cjuoted writer in his 
experience says : 

"It was at this point that I first saw the working of the "Christian 
Commission.' They had a boat there with well-cooked, meals, liathing 
facilities, cots and reading matter. I was glad to avail myself of these 
good things and soon recovered from my fatigue. I realized then what 
a good work was being done by the 'Sanitary Commission' and the 
'Christian Commission.' They were supplying things for the comfort 
of the soldiers that were not supplied by the government. In this work 
many men were saved for efficient field service that would otherwise 
have gone to hospitals and been permanently disabled or diseased." 



62 



CHAPTER V. 
Petersburg. 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery remained 
at White House Landing until about 5 o'clock on the eve- 
ning of June 14th, when it embarked on the U. S. trans- 
ports "Governor Chase" and "Pioneer." proceeding down 
the York river, thence up the James river to City Point, 
reaching there about 12 o'clock noon Tuesday, the 15th of 
June, 1864. The regiment disembarked about 2 o'clock 
P. M., marched up the bluff, on gaining the top of which 
"double up" and "double-quick" were successively com- 
manded by Colonel Gibson, the regiment thus proceeding 
toward Point of Rocks about two miles, when the com- 
mand, "By the left flank." was given and, thus being formed 
in line of battle, advanced about three miles along the 
south side of the Appomattox river in support of General 
Hinks' division of colored troops, who were successively 
and successfully charging the many small forts and bat- 
teries lying in their way, until it halted within about four 
miles of Petersburg, at a point almost opposite Fort Clif- 
ton, a large work of the enemy situated on a high bluff on 
the north side of the Appomattox river, immediately in 
front of which were several "water batteries," all of which 
the 1 8th Corps was in range of and from which a flank fire 
would be had on the Corps had it proceeded farther. 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was then 
ordered by General Martindale to take cover behind a 
mound that lav to its left, which was known as Simpson's 
Hill. 

Detachments from each Battery of the regiment were 
made that evening for picket duty along the Appomattox 



PETERSBURG. 



63 




PETERSBURG, VA. 

Showing breastworks and location of Second Pennsylvauia 
Heavy Artillery Camp during 72 days of Siege. 

river, under command of Captain McClure of Battery F, 
who remained on such duty until the 20th of June, when 
they rejoined the regiment, and Captain AlcClure assumed 



64 PETERSBURG. 

command of the Second Battalion, vice Captain Paul Jones, 
who was wounded on the i8th while leading Battery L in 
a charge on a redoubt. 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery lay on arms 
under cover of the before mentioned hill until daylight of 
the following day, when, being too large to manoeuvre 
as a regiment, it was divided into three battalions of four 
Batteries each, commanded respectively by Major Ander- 
son, Captain Jones and Major Sadler, all under command 
of Colonel Gibson, forming the Third Brigade, Second Di- 
vision, of the Eighteenth Army Corps. 

After completion of the regiment's division into bat- 
talions on the morning of June i6th, the men were per- 
mitted to eat and cook breakfast (at least those who had 
anything to cook or eat then). Under orders from Gen. 
Martindale, Colonel Gibson formed the regiment (brigade) 
in line, and countermarching from behind the hill, formed 
line of battle in a large pasture field, the Second Battalion 
in front, the h^irst and Third Battalions to its right and 
left respectively, and a few hundred yards to the rear. 

The command then advanced, under a heavy fire of 
the enemy, through an apple orchard between the Appo- 
mattox river and Spring Hill road, when the Second Bat- 
talion, composed of Batteries B. E, H and K, with the 
First and Third suppc^-ting it, charged and captured a small 
fort or redoubt on Spring Hill road that was harrassing 
the regiment (jn its left, taking some prisoners and four 

The regiment then supported Gen. Hinks' Division 
of colored troops in charging a large and well-defended fort 
which was on a high hill, from top to bottom of which ob- 
structions, such as abatis, trip-wires, cherauxdefris, stumps 
and vines, were placed to impede an attack. The capture 
of the fort, nevertheless, was gallantly accomplished by 
those brave colored troops. 

After the capture of the fort the Second Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery again advanced through an oat field to 
within about two miles of Petersburg, halting in front of 
Mrs. Beasley's house on a road running at right angles 
with the Appomattox river and almost directly in front 



PETERSBURG. 6 5 

of Fort Clifton and the water batteries, which had a flank 
fire on the regiment and, evidently, were doing their best 
to make the most of their advantage. 

In this advance several were killed and wounded, 
among them being : 

Killed— Geo. W. Tapley. Battery K; Daniel Donhue, Battery L; 
John B. Oilman, Battery L; Wm. A. Maleffett, Battery A; Edward W. 
White, Battery A. 

Wounded— Corporal Benjamin Dougherty, Battery L; Henry 
Beachtel, Battery L; Edward Gibbons, Battery L. 

On receiving orders to do so. Colonel Gibson withdrew 
the regiment to the left, and other troops, belonging to the 
Second Corps, took the place of his command about eleven 
o'clock that night. 

After being relieved, the regiment marched to a hill 
on the left (the men being furnished with hardtack and hot 
coffee while on the march) and lay on arms during the 
balance of the night, which was a very clear one. 

Captain Baggs, in a writing reviewing his recollec- 
tions of the Petersburg campaign, says : 

"On the i6th of June, about 4 o'clock p. m., it became evident that 
we were to be placed in a position to make an attack. We rested in a 
piece of woods for several hours. On our right were colored troops. 
This was the firt time I had been brought in contact with colored 
troops, and I was surprised at their military bearing. 

About dusk we were put on the move and just at this time Lieut. 
B. F. Winger, who had been on detached duty at headquarters, joined 
the command, saying, 'Captain, I heard you were going into the fight 
and I want to be with you.' We moved out of the woods towards a 
barn and wheat field. We could not see the rebels, but they saw us, 
and the firing both of rifles and cannon, was very hot. We were the 
supporting column of an attack on their entrenchments and we were 
exposed to a cross-fire that was exceedingly alarming. As it grew 
darker the intensity of the fire increased and we were ordered to lie 
down. As soon as the men got down they commenced throwing up 
breastworks with their tincups and bayonets. It was only little ridges 
that each man could raise in front of himself, but in many instances 
it served to deflect a bullet that might have proved a deadly messenger. 
I do not know how near we got to the rebel works, but about 10 o'clock 
it was known that the rebels had retreated. 

The next morning I walked around some of these earth-works 
and was impressed with the skill and care that was manifest in their 
location and construction : This was the outer line of defences of 
Petersburg. We prepared to encamp here and commenced the seige 
of Petersburg. We succeeded in pressing the rebels back as far as 
the Race Course. Here we digged entrenchments and erected barricades 



66 PETERSBURG. 

and prepared to make ourselves as comfortable as possible under the cir- 
cumstances. The firing was incessant all day long, both for rifle and 
cannon." 

Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin F. Winger, in a letter 
to the writer, says : 

"As to the discipline and bravery of the Second Heavy Artillery, 
I recall that at the charge in the rear of Fort Steadman we were un- 
mercifully shelled, and the bravest of us said our prayers, quivering 
as to the' result of the conflict about to take place. The .shelling was 
fearful from Fort Clifton on our right and Petersburg in our front. 
The regiment, or most of it, was in a clump of big trees. As the shells 
burst and the solid shot and shells of the enemy began knocking and 
tearing the trees to splinters, our boys began to twist and wabble. 
The officers said they must stand straight in line and take what comes 
till we made the charge. Captain Jones was in charge of the Battalion, 
and I happened to be in command of his Battery (L) that day. Whilst 
I do not think it proper to do violence to the third commandment, it 
did seem that the only thing to be done was to do a whole lot of good, 
hard swearing, and, with a corporal behind them, to prevent shirking, 
I gave orders to fix ba3onets, and every fellow went into the charge 
with alacrity. They thought if the officers could swear till a blue 
streak went up, they could afford to be brave, and the way they did their 
work proved them to be the bravest of the brave." 

Early on the morning of June 17, the regiment moved 
half a mile further to the left, crossing the Petersburg 
and City Point railroad, thence parallel therewith a short 
distance, when, after forming in line of battle, orders to 
''left oblique" were given, and, crossing an open field, the 
enemy pouring upon it a hot fire of artillery and musketry, 
came in front of a battery which the enemy, after slight 
efforts to retain it, evacuated, but soon thereafter rallied 
and attempted to retake it, their fire being so great that 
the regiment was compelled to lie down. 

The advance of the enemy, however, was easily checked 
and the regiment again advanced, double-quick, driving the 
enemy over a swamp to his inner lines of defence. 

The regiment then, "by the right flank." again moved 
to the opposite side of the railroad, somewhat nearer Peters- 
burg and farther from the fire of Fort Clifton's guns, tak- 
ing position in rear of other troops of the i8th Corps, where 
it remained during the night. 

In these movements the regiment suft'eretl considerable 
loss, particularly Battery B. 



PETERSBURG. 67 

During the night of June 17th, while on the firing 
line, Colonel Gibson had the men served with water to 
drink, and then mo\'ed his regiment somewhat farther to 
the front, and on the morning of the i8th of June the 
same position was maintained until about two o'clock in 
the afternoon, when the regiment moved to the front line 
again, deploying somewhat to the right, and after advanc- 
ing a short distance was checked by the great number of 
guns opened upon it in addition to the incessant musketry 
fire of the enemy. 

Shortly after, the fire of the enemy having diminished 
considerably, the regiment again advanced and, reaching 
a line of earthworks hastily vacated by the enemy, halted 
while a body of sharpshooters passed over and took shelter 
behind some large shade trees in its front, with the intent 
to keep silent, if possible, the guns of a battery a short 
distance in front of the Second Battalion of the regiment. 

Soon thereafter the Second Battalion, composed of 
Batteries B, E, H and K, was ordered to charge a line of 
earthworks laying to the left and front of it, which it did 
under a galling fire of musketry, the Third Battalion and 
the sharpshooters the while almost silencing the enemy's 
batteries in front; but the 55th Pennsylvania Infantry, that 
was to support the Second Battalion on its left, broke and 
fled to the rear, leaving the Battalion exposed to a cross- 
fire on its left, and, thus exposed and being without proper 
support, the attempt to take the works did not succeed. 
The Battalion, however, under a very severe and continu- 
ous fire of the enemy, pugnaciously held the ground gained, 
by lying down and the men scooping up earth in front of 
themselves with tinplates and bayonets. 

The loss to the Second Battalion in this charge was 
twelve killed and sixty-nine wounded, nearly all of which 
occurred during the first fifteen minutes of the engagement. 
Among the seriously wounded was Captain Jones, of Bat- 
tery L, who was in command of the Battalion, and who 
so gallantly led his Battery in the successful assault on a 
redoubt the day before. 

Toward nightfall the other two battalions of the regi- 
ment advanced to where the Second Battalion la^-, and 



68 PETERSBURG. 

by throwing up earthworks, strengthened the Hne, which 
was maintained throughout the siege of Petersburg, and 
proved to he the most ad^'anced line toward Petersburg 
made by any troops of the Union army until after the Con- 
federates evacuated the city in April, 1865. 

Lieutenant Geuisinger was in command of Battery B 
during these actions, and in leaving the field at night he 
directed Sergeant Gramlich to see that all killed and 
wounded of the Battery were brought off the field. In 
carrying out this order, almost the first man Sergeant Gram- 
lich found killed was his father, who was shot through the 
heart, and, though grief-stricken, he insisted on helping to 
carry the body from the field. 

During the night of June i8th, the Second Pennsyl- 
vania Heavy Artillery was relieved by the Tenth New 
York Heavy Artillery, and moved to the rear on the left 
of the City Point railroad, where it went into camp in the 
ravine through which Harrison's creek ran under the rail- 
road, a short distance in front of Friend's mansion, then 
ocupied by General Martindale as division headquarters. 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery had its 
rendezvous and camp in this ravine during its 72 days spent 
in the siege of Petersburg, excepting two days at Spring 
Hill to reorganize the regiment, and two days near Fort 
Hell at the time of the "Crater" fight. 

The regiment remained in camp the 19th of June, and 
had issued to it three days' rations. On the following 
day it marched to a place known as Spring Hill, near Point 
of Rocks, where the men enjoyed a bath in the -\ppomattox 
river and a general renovation of clothing was had. a lux- 
ury not enjoyed since leaving White House Landing on 
the 14th inst. Here, also, the men received the first mail 
since leaving Washington on May 27th, which gave en- 
joyment and pleasure to the men in a degree realized only 
by those who were thus favored. Many received an accum- 
ulation of from twenty to thirty pieces of mail matter, in 
many cases some token of rememl)rance being enclosed 
therein, and wliich greatly added to the happiness of the 
recipients, evidenced by the joyful countenances to be seen 
that day. "Life is worth living," said John H. Myers, of 



PETERSBURG. 69 

Battery D, when he unwrapped three or four newspapers, 
each of which contained a plug of the best l)rand of chew- 
ing- tobacco, a method of sending which to the soldiers was 
generally adopted by realtives and friends during the war. 
The occasion was considered a great treat by the men after 
the trying ordeals through which they passed during the 
preceding three weeks. 

The regiment being- composed mostly of young- men, 
the major portion of the letters received by the "boys'' were 
from their "sweethearts," or, as one would say, from "the 
girl I left behind me," and the contents, as a saying, "put 
new life into the boys," and, for the time being, at least, 
caused them to forget their despondency, knowing full well 
these girls were also lending their aid to their country in 
preparing lint, bandages, etc., for wounded soldiers, as well 
as writing fond missives to buoy up the despondent. 

The regiment marched back to its camping ground 
along Harrison's creek on the 21st of June, where it was 
brigaded with the Tenth New York Heavy Artillery, the 
brigade being commanded by General Ames, and General 
Martindale commanded the division, which was attached 
to the Eighteenth Armv Corps, commanded by General 
William F. Smith ("Baldy Smith"). 

About six o'clock that evening the regiment fell in 
line and moved forward to within a short distance of the 
breastworks, where it was ordered to lay down, apparently 
being held in readiness for an attack on the enemy, or in 
anticipation of a Confederate advance, neither of which, 
however, materialized ; but the regiment, nevertheless, re- 
mained in this position throughout the night and until about 
nine o'clock P. M. of the 22d, when it was marched to the 
front and again occupied the line of earthworks extending 
from the City Point and Petersburg railroad on its right 
to the Jerusalem plankroad on its left, where it remained 
until the night of June 25th, when it was relieved by colored 
troops. During these three days the regiment was engaged 
in strengthening the earthworks, which included the build- 
ing of two batteries, the enemy keeping up a vigorous fire 
of artillery and sharpsh(X)ting, which made the work 
hazardous and trvina: to the men. 



70 PETERSBURG. 

On the morning- of June 24th, the Confederates opened 
a terrific cannonade in front of the Eighteenth Army Corps, 
the fire of which was concentrated principally on the Sec- 
ond Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery and the Tenth New 
York Heavy Artillery regiments, and at about nine o'clock 
the Confederates charged the line between the Appomattox 
river and the City Point railroad, being the right wing of 
General Ames' brigade, resulting in the repulse of the 
Confederates with great loss. 

As colored troops at times were occupying the 
breastworks at this point, the Confederates maintained an 
almost continuous fire thereon, and it required great cau- 
tion on the part of the officers and men of the Second 
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, for the slightest projecting 
of a head above the earthworks meant a wound or death 
to the one so doing; and. unfortunately, a few such casual- 
ties did occur. 

Rations and water were served the men in the pits 
under great difficulties; yet, some of the Batteries' cooks, 
with brotherly feeling, were bent on giving their "boys" 
warm food and coffee occasionally during the daytime, and 
frequently ran the gauntlet of Confederate bullets to do so. 

Just where Battery K was located in the pits there was 
a depression in the breastworks, where the enemy, almost 
constantly, fired volleys of musketry over, which, added 
to the fire of sharpshooters, made it very dangerous to ap- 
proach the works from the rear. Several men were shot at 
this point daily, either being killed or wounded. However, 
Alexander T. Dougherty, of Battery K, managed to do his 
duty as a cook, and the following is his explanation of how 
he accomplished the feat of supplying the men with rations: 

"I would approacli under ccner as far as I could go with safety. 
Then I would wait until the volley was fired. Then I would run 
zig-zagging with all my might for the breastworks, frequently passing 
dead men. I bent my body down as low as I could to protect myself. 
I ran that gauntlet for more than sixty days, morning, noon and eve- 
ning, without meeting or intercepting any rebel balls, which many other 
poor comrades who attempted it paid the forfeit of failure in their 
devotion with their lives." 

Captain Baggs, in his writings of the Petersburg cam- 
paign, says : 



PETERSBURG. 7^ 

"The rebels had a battery on the opposite side of the Appomatox 
river that commanded the road upon which our entrenchments had 
been made. It must have been a very poor battery or else it was a 
long way off, for the shot and shell that reached us were so nearly 
spent that some of the men wanted to try to catch them on the fly. 
They would roll down our way like the balls along a ten-pin alley. 
There was one, however, that had more force than the rest of them, 
for it passed between Major Anderson and Adjutant Grugan as they 
sat at breakfast in their tent. They moved their tent immediately. 

One night there was an alarm and we were ordered forward. As 
we scrambled out of our trenches, firing seemed to be promiscuous — 
our own men, apparently, firing in any direction. I remember feeling 
the bullets unpleasantly near, as well as being slightly singed with 
powder. 

As a rule we were relieved after twenty-four hours and allowed to 
go back to camp for a day. Although the firing was so constant and 
our camp was so exposed, it was but little safer than the trenches." 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was re- 
lieved from the pits by Hinks' colored troops, on the night 
of June 25th, and returned thereto again the following 
evening; being again relieved on the evening of the 27th 
and returning to the trenches again on the 28th, during 
which night Lieutenant Edward D. C. Loud, of Battery 
H, became "missing." it being ascertained, through Con- 
federate deserters, a few days later, that he was being held 
as a prisoner by the enemy. 

Being relieved from the pits on the night of June 29th, 
the regiment marched back to its camp in the ravine, where 
it remained until about 4 o'clock the following day, when it 
fell in line and marched some distance to the right, where 
it was placed in position to support other troops in ad- 
vancing the main line. The engagement was of slight 
account, as little resistance was made by the enemy, and 
the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was not called 
upon to do anything. 

After the line was straightened, the regiment again 
returned to its camp, and the following day was mustered 
for six months' pay, and re-entered the pits that night 
at its usual place of so doing. 

The part of the line advanced on the 30th of June 
was necessary so as to conform to that established by the 
Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery on the i8th of June, 
which was some three hundred yards beyond that estab- 
lished by the Second Corps troops on its right, and which 



72 



PETERSBURG. 



caused a bend towards the railroad, thereby offering the 
enemy an opportunity to infilade the breastworks with a 

semi -cross fire. 




GROUP OF OFFICERS. 

The losses in the regiment from June 15th to June 



^otli were 



PETERSBURG. J T) 

Killed, i6 men; wounded, 2 officers and 92 men; captured or mis- 
ing, I officer and 15 men; total, 126. 

During- the night of July i, 1864, Captain David 
Schooley, of Battery M, and Lieutenant Daniel M. Lewrey, 
of Battery D, were made prisoners, and Lieutenant Richard 
M. Goundie, of Battery G, was slightly wounded by a 
piece of mortar shell. 

Lieutenant Lewrey was making his "grand rounds" 
of the picket line, when he, evidently, was misled by fol- 
lowing a path that eventually led him into the enemy's 
lines. The path was located for some distance along the 
picket line near an old race track, then inclined to the 
left, whereas the picket line extended straight on, through 
some shrubbery and undergrowth, which, it being a very 
dark night, Lieutenant Lewrey evidently did not discern, 
and, consequently, walked into the enemy's lines, where 
he was made prisoner. Captain Schooley was similarly 
made a prisoner, probably at the same point, or somewhere 
along the line of the race track. 

This race track proved to be a snare to several officers 
who were captured while making their "grand rounds" 
as "officer of the day." The videttes were located in holes 
about fifty feet in front of the breastworks, along the edge 
of the track, and the enemy's pickets were aware of the 
divergence of the path, as was stated by several deserters 
to the Federal lines, there being several Confederate pickets 
placed at about that point, with instructions to be on the 
alert for "Yankee Officers of the Day making their grand 
rounds." 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery remained in 
the trenches until the evening of the 3rd of July, when it 
was relieved and returned to its camp, remaining there 
until the evening of the 5th of July, when it re-entered the 
pits again. 

Rumors of Colonel Gibson having made application to 
be relieved from command of the regiinent were heard 
throughout the regiment on the 4th of July, and the follow- 
ing day Major Anderson was recommended as successor to 
Colonel Gibson. 



74 PETERSBURG. 

The regiment was again relieved from duty in the 
trenches on the evening of July 6th, and re-entered them 
again on the night of the 9th, where it remained until the 
evening of July 12th, during which time the regiment was 
continually under fire, day and night, many men being 
killed and wounded, the men not being permitted to sleep 
more than one hour in daytime, and no sleeping permitted 
during the night, an attack by the enemy being anticipated 
at any moment. 

Commissions for several officers of the Second Penn- 
sylvania Heavy Artillery were received from Harrisburg 
on the 1 2th of July, 1864, they being the first commissions 
issued to the regiment from the time of the Provisional regi- 
ments' organization. 

On the evening of July 12th, 1864, the regiment was 
relieved about 9 o'clock and went to its camp in the ravine. 
About 3 o'clock the next morning bugles sounded the "As- 
sembly," and, after quickly forming in line, double-quicked 
to the trenches, in front of which the Confederates had 
massed a large body of troops, in consequence of which an 
attack on the Federal lines was anticipated. The men were 
kept in suspense all that day, and, without any sleep con- 
tinued so until the night of the 15th of July, when every 
third man was permitted to enjoy two hours sleep in turns. 
The weather was very warm, and the almost continuous 
duty required of the men was a very trying ordeal, causing 
a thinning of the ranks, many men, and officers too. be- 
coming prostrated and, in many cases, were carried to the 
rear for medical treatment. 

Colonel Fairchild took command of the Brigade to 
which the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was at- 
tached on the 14th of July, 1864. 

During the regiment's stay in the trenches, from the 
13th to the 1 6th of July, 1864, all sorts of rumors regard- 
ing a Confederate raid into Maryland and Pennsylvania 
were circulated. Some were to the effect that Early had 
invaded Pennsylvania with a large force of Confederates, 
while others were that he had entered Washington, via 
Seventh Street road. Inasmuch as the Second Pennsylva- 
nia Heavy Artillery had rebuilt and occupied Fort Massa- 



PETERSBURG. 75 

chusetts, the key to Washington by way of Seventh street, 
little credence was given that rumor, as they well knew the 
impregnability of that fort, then known as Fort Stevens. 
Late on the night of July 15th, however, intelligence was 
received that the Confederates were badly defeated in their 
effort to capture the capital, and were in full retreat; this 
being confirmed the next day, the news put new life, as it 
were, into the spirits of the almost completely exhausted 
men of the regiment. 

At the time of Early's attack on Washington, Captain 
John Norris, of the Provisional Second Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery, was in command at Fort DeRussy, and 
took a prominent part in repulsing the Confederates. Col- 
onel Marble, in his report to Col. W'arner, commanding 
the First Brigade of Hardin's Division, said : 

"Much credit is due to Captain John Norris, of Second Provis- 
ional Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, whom you assigned to me as Chief 
of Artillery. Captain Norris' report of the artillery practice will be 
forwarded to you without delay." 

Captain John Norris was a Lieutenant in Battery G, 
Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, until the formation 
of the Provisional Second Pennsylvania, when he was ap- 
pointed Captain of Company B in the latter regiment, and 
was among the best and bravest officers of that regiment. 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was relieved 
from the breastworks early on the morning of July i6th, 
1864, while heavy cannonading was going on, and, after 
breakfasting in camp, proceeded to a position in the trenches 
at a point considerably farther to the left than heretofore 
occupied by the regiment, where it was immediately put to 
work demolishing an old line of works and rebuilding them 
in a more substantial manner. That night the regiment 
marched back to its camp and rested until 8 o'clock the 
following evening, July 17th, when it again took up its 
usual position in the trenches near the City Point Railroad. 
All the Batteries of the regiment occupied about their usual 
locations in the pits, with the exception of Battery G, on 
the extreme right, which spread out and extended a con- 
siderable distance beyond the City Point Railroad. 

On the morning of July i8th, at about 3 o'clock, the 



76 PETERSBURG. 

enemy opened up a terrific cannonading along the whole 
line, indicating a contemplated attack, and compelling the 
men to hug the breastworks, many of whom, however, were, 
more or less, wounded, and a few killed, principally by 
shells thrown from cohorn mortars. Rain commenced 
to descend about 5 o'clock and continued until the evening 
of the 2 1 St. 

To illustrate the severe strain the men were put to in 
doing duty at "the front'' is an utter impossibility — the 
want of sleep, the heat, rain, flies, mosquitoes, "gray-backs," 
etc., added to the incessant'- necessity of precaution to pro- 
tect themseh'es from the aim of dreaded sharpshooters and 
flying shells, taxed their powers of endurance and nerves to 
the extreme, and its effects were distinguishable in the 
lives of many survivors of the ordeal years thereafter. 

Corporal Chambers, of Battery L, recalling those days 
in front of Petersburg, says : 

"It was hell itself, and it is wondrous to me that so many of us 
survived the event. The over-taxing of the men in building rifle pits, 
batteries, forts and cover ways, in addition to the continuous sharp- 
shooting; the evening and morning duels, which were so deadly in our 
front, being from one to two hundred yards apart and right in front 
of the city, was simply awful. One-half of the line would fire while 
the other worked on the pits or tried to sleep. On our right was a 
battery of breech-loading guns, which were presented to Jefif Davis 
by some English nobleman, whose name along with the presentation 
was engraved on the breech. After the surrender I rode astride of 
one of these pieces, with six horses attached, through the streets of 
Petersburg, and helped to load it on the cars for City Point. The 
fire of this battery was very destructive. It mattered not how thick 
and strong our breastworks might be on our flank — for it had a flank 
fire — the shells from those terrible guns would burrow through the 
embankment and explode with terrific effect. One of these shells 
exploded in the pits occupied by Battery L, tearing ofT the limbs of a 
half dozen men. One of them was the orderly sergeant, a young 
Irishman from the I'ritish army, one of the best drilled men I ever 
saw." 

The Second Pennsylvania Pleavy Artillery was relieved 
from duty in the entrenchments during the night of July 
19th, 1864, and returned to its camping ground in a pelting 
rainstorm, but as the weather had been mostly hot and dry 
from time of leaving Cold Harbor, the men seemed rather 
to enjoy the change, and marched with a more elastic step 
than they had for several days past ; and the peals of thun- 



PETERSBURG. ']^ 

der, attended by flashes of lightning, was to them only a 
"reflection of what had been witnessed and experienced 
ever since the first appearance of the regiment before Peters- 
burg,," as was said by Comrade Robert Casey, Jr., of Bat- 
tery F, several years later. 

Captain Baggs, of Battery D, in a letter to his wife, 
written in the pits at Petersburg says : 

In the Entrenchment, July i8th. 1864. 

While relieving the other troops we were shelled, as I spoke of in 
the first part of my letter, but fortunately I believe no one of our 
Battalion was hurt. I was commanding it at the time. Major Sadler 
being Brigade Officer of the Day. This being rather a quiet day I 
will try and finish this letter. I have my pen and ink along for that 
purpose, but these holes are so dirty and dusty that I don't know that 
I can get through. 

Well, to resume my narrative. It is singular how soon men get 
used to these missiles flying near them. Soon after daylight they be- 
gan to think of their breakfast and a few at a time are allowed to 
cook. They bring their own provisions with them and each man cooks 
for himself. Having collected a few sticks they build a fire and cook 
their meals with as much coolness as you do at home. Frequently a 
bullet will strike in the bank and throw out dust over them and in 
their coffee. This frequently produces an oath, as the soldier sets 
great store by his coffee, and it does seem to be the principal thing, 
especially in the pits. 

Now some one has to go for water. This is quite dangerous, as 
their heads must be exposed for a little while. However, they go. 
Some walk along leisurely, some double-quick or half double, as they 
suppose the danger is more or less great. They judge by the number 
and nearness of the sound of the bullets. Generally we have an artil- 
lery duel every morning. Sometimes our batteries commence and 
sometimes the rebels. We can generally tell when the shot and shell 
are coming, either by seeing the flash or hearing the sound. Some one 
cries "Cover!" and all protect themselves as well as they can. But 
every day there is some one hurt and then the cry is "Stretcher this 
way !" and the stretcher bearers come along and carry off the wounded 
man. Inquiry is made who it is and if badly hurt. The soldiers show 
great sympathy in their manner, but few express it in words. The 
wounded comrade is borne off and that is probably the last they see 
of him in this campaign. 

On our left and about seven hundred j'ards distant is a high hill, 
where the rebels are entrenched. We can see them at work frequently 
and have a good sight of every shot and shell thrown in by our bat- 
teries. Our mortars drop the shells right in their holes, but we can- 
not tell what amount of damage is done. It is certainly very unpleas- 
ant there, as our men send the shells in very thick. We have two bat- 
teries and both are very attentive to this hill. It is very strong by 
nature and the rebels have dug a ditch and placed abatis — that is trees 
laid down with their prongs from the fort and too close together for 
a man to get through. Outside of that is a wire fence. It would be 
impossible to take it by assault without great loss. 



78 PETERSBURG. 

About dusk we see the rebels sending out their pickets and after a 
while ours are sent out. The sharpshooters leave at sunset and the 
pickets do not fire while being posted. Rebel deserters come in fre- 
quently and tell the usual tale of short rations, hard service, conscript- 
ing every man, etc. Several have come in and say the rebels talk 
about charging our works. I presume there must be a determination 
of this kind, as they confirm each others' statements in the main idea. 

Our soldiers are cheerful and laugh at the missiles of death as they 
fly harmlessly by and at each other when they dodge without being hit. 
They crack a great many jokes, and you would be surprised to see so 
much mirth under the circumstances. 

We have dug several wells in the rear of the pits and obtain very 
good water in about ten feet. Many of the rebel shells do not burst. 
We have a large pile of them near my pit. The men have picked them 
up close by, as most of them light near here. Pratt brings my meals 
out to me and I eat them 'sans ceremonie.' 

We look anxiously for the troops to relieve us after we have been 
in the pits two days. Soon after dark they come along and we march 
back to camp. Our camp is in a hollow near the railroad, and a small 
stream runs through it. We have dug springs close together and 
water is abundant and good. These two days are devoted to cleaning 
up and getting things in order. We have been here now a month 
and on Saturday I had my quarters improved. I have had a nice 
arbor built which gives us ample room and is quite comfortable. If it 
should rain, though, there is only one shelter tent to protect me, but I 
think that will do it unless it rains very hard. Speaking of rain re- 
minds me that we have not had enough to lay the dust since we came 
here. Near my quarters is a grave marked "Confederate Unknown." 
Some one of our regiment has written on the board, "Think not of 
him as an enemy, but admonish him as a friend." 

The regiment re-entered the pits on the night of July 
2 1 St, and remained there until 9 o'clock p. m., of the 23rd, 
when it was again relieved by other troops. 

Orders were issued for dress parade on the 24th of 
July, but rain, which had ceased the night before, again 
came down in torrents at appointed time for parade, thus 
preventing it taking place, much to the gratification of 
the officers and men, who, through excessive duty in the 
pits, felt more inclined to rest and sleep. However, it was 
made known that Colonel Gibson was relieved, and Major 
Anderson assumed command of the regiment, in obedience 
to the following: 

W.\K l)i:i'.\KTMENT, Adjutant Gkner-al's Office. 

Washington, July 22nd, 1864. 
Si'Eci.M, Order, No. 245. 

Extract. 
6th. — By direction of the President of the United States, the leave 
of absence granted Captain A. A. Gibson, 2nd V. S. Artillery, now 



PETERSBURG. 79 

Major 3rd U. S. Artillery, to enable him to accept the colonelcy of 
the 2nd Penna. Heavy Artillery, is hereby revoked, and he will report 
in person to the Adjutant General of the Army under his rank as an 
officer of the Regular Army for orders. 
By order of the Secretary of War. 

E. D. TOWNSEND, 
Assistant Ad'gt Gen'l. 

Col. Gibson had a good heart for his men, or "boys," 
as he called them, and was patriotic. He spoke for an hour 
in his address to them at the reunion of the Second Penn- 
sylvania Heavy Artillery at Belmont Mansion, September, 
1888, and was a proud man that day. 

The following is his farewell address to the regiment : 

COLONEL GIBSON'S FAREWELL ADDRESS. 

Hd. Qrs. 2nd Penna. Art'y., 
Near Petersburg, Va., July 2ij'- 1S54. 
Regimental Orders No. 30. 

In relinquishing the command of his regiment, the Colonel desires 
to express to the officers and enlisted men his regret that circumstances 
preclude his sharing its fortunes to the end. 

His interest for the regiment will never diminish. He will ever 
be mindful of its reputation. The discipline which it has received ; the 
principles with which it has been instilled, and especially the richness 
of its personal material, assure that the flags of its State and the 
Federal Government will never be furled with dishonor. In a few 
months the service of the regiment will have expired, and during a 
period when the efforts of the nation will all be historical. The time 
and the occasion present irresistable inducements for the regiment to 
carve for itself a name which the State will be proud to cherish. The 
Colonel, in taking farewell, would impress on his regiments as its 
motto : '^Unanimity and Co-operation." 

By command of 

A. A. GIBSON. U. S. A., 

Colonel 2nd Penna. Art'y. 
Flor. W. Grugan. 

Lt. and Adjt. 

The Adjutant also announced that General Martindale 
had succeeded General Smith in command of the i8th Army 
Corps, which was evidently regretted by the officers and 
men of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artilley, as they 
were greatly attached to "Baldy"' Smith. 

Many of the facts relative to the temporary organi- 
zation of the Provisional Second Pennsylvania Heavy Ar- 
tillery and the controversy between Governor Curtin, Colo- 
nel Gibson and the War Department in reference to officers 



8o 



PETERSBURG. 



for the said regiment, have been "mislaid," but the follow- 
ing message of Governor Curtin to the Senate of Pennsyl- 
vania, dated August 22, 1864, will suffice to show the bit- 
terness of the controversy created by the desire to appoint 
officers for the new regiment, and, in a measure will ac- 
count for the unprecedent ill treatment of that gallant regi- 
ment b}' the uncalled for "ambition of somebody."' 

GOVERNOR CURTIN'S .AIESSAGE. 

Penna. Executive Chamber, 

Harrisburg, Aug. 22, 1864. 
To the Honorable the Senate of Pennsylvania : — Gentlemen : — I re- 
ceived the following preamble and resolution on the 20th of August: 

Senate Chamber, Harrisburg, Aug. 20, 1864. 

Whereas, It is alleged that the officers of the 2d Pa. Art. (or Provisional 
regiment) are without commissions, and the regiment, although in the front, is 
without surgeons, therefore, in order to ascertain where the neglect is, be it 

Resolved, That the Governor be requested to furnish, at his earliest conven- 
ience, any correspondence, that he may have had with the President or the War 
Department in relation thereto. 

To which I have the honor to reply, that on the recommendation of 
an officer of the War Department, on tlie i8th of June, 1862, I appointed 
A. A. Gibson, then a captain in the artillery service of tlie United States, 
colonel of the 2d regiment, Pennsylvania artillery. It was represented 
to me that he was very well qualified, and I selected him accordingly 
for this particular arm of the service. Early in January, 1863, com- 
plaints were made to me by the officers of the regiment in reference to 
the conduct of Col. Gibson, and indeed charges were made of a serious 
character. I was extremely reluctant to interfere between the War 
Department and a colonel of the service. But these complaints contin- 
ued to be repeated, and in the month of May or June, 1863, when in 
Washington city on other business, I was called upon by many of the 
officers of the regiment, gentlemen who were personally known to me 
to be entirely reliable, and statements were made so serious that I could 
not disregard them, and I addressed the Secretary of War upon the 
subject, and sent my communication from Willard's Hotel (without 
having retained a copy), asking that Col. Gibson should be relieved 
from the command of the regiment and ordered back to his regiment in 
the army. To this communication no answer was returned, but to my 
surprise I learned unofficially, that all that was required to secure the 
removal of Colonel Gibson was my request to that effect. On the 2d 
of December, 1863, 1 again addressed the Secretary of War as follows: 

Executive Chamber, Harrisburg. December 2, 1863. 
Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War: — Sir: — I beg leave to request 
most earnestly that you will issue an order to Col. A. A. Gibson, now command- 
ing the 2d Pennsylvania Artillery, relieving him from the command and returning 
him to his post as captain in the 2d regiment of Regular artillery. I am con- 
strained to make this request from the fact that Col. Gibson has not and does not 
give satisfaction to his regiment— that his officers, some of them the finest in the 
service, are constantly appealing to me to relieve them. Charges of a serious 
nature could be preferred, but this would involve delay attending a court martial, 



PETERSBURG. 8 1 

and would create dissensions, all of which can be avoided by his being returned 
to his regular rank. The most charitable construction placed upon his conduct 
by his officers is that he is insane, and under such circumstances the mildest 
means consistent with the good of the service are probably the best. 

I respectfully refer to papers already on file in your department with my en- 
dorsement, in relation to this subject, and I beg that the order may issue. Very 
respectfully, your obedient servant, 

A. G. CURTIN. 

To which no answer was returned. 

The complaints still continuing, and both officers and men con- 
stantly appealing to me, I again addressed the Secretary of War on the 
19th of January, 1864, as follows : 

Executive Chamber, Harrisburg, January 19, 1864. 
Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War: Sir: — I have upon two occasions be- 
fore this endeavored to call your attention to the propriety of ordering Col. A. A. 
Gibson, now commanding the 2d regiment. Pa. artillery, to ioin his own regiment of 
Regulars, and was surprised that no answer had been returned. I learn, however, 
unofficially, that mv letters upon this subject have not reached you. I therefore 
take the liberty of enclosing to you a copy of mv last letter on this subject, which 
fully explains the matter, and in addition to what is there stated it is proper to 
s5y, that from information received, I am assured that if Col. Gibson is not re- 
moved, very few of that regiment will re-enlist, and that if he is, nearly all of 
them will. Hence the necessity for early action. 

\'erv respectfully, your ob't serv't, 

A. G. CURTIN. 

This letter I sent to Washington city by a member of my staff, who 
delivered it to the Secretary of War in person, on the 23d of January, 
1864. 

No action having been taken although a court of inquiry had been in 
session upon charges preferred against Colonel Gibson, and the com- 
plaints still continuing, on the i6th June, 1864, I addressed the Presi- 
dent of the United States as follows : 

Executive Chamber, Harrisburg, June 16, 1864. 

Sir: — In the spring of 1862 vou requested me to raise a volunteer regiment 
of heavy artillery called the "2d regiment heavy artillery" P. V. The call being 
a special one there seemed to be required to command the regiment an officer of 
experience in that particular line, and one of the officers of the War Department 
recommended for the purpose Captain A. A. Gibson of the State of Maine, then 
a captain in the 2d artillery U. S. A. In the compliance with this recommendation, 
and withovjt any other knowledge of Captain Gibson, I appointed and commissioned 
him on the 18th of June, 1862, as colonel of the regiment. His conduct and de- 
portment since have been intolerable. He has violated the faith of the Govern- 
ment, pledged to recruits for regiments in the field by general order No. 88, 
July 2Sth, 1862, which provides that thev shall be permitted to select any com- 
pany of the regiment they may prefer. In contempt of this order he has forced 
recruits into batteries other than those which they selected. In at least one in- 
stance he has used language to a commissioned officer of his regiment in presence 
of an enlisted man, unbecoming an officer and a gentleman, and calculated to 
subvert all discipline. He has treated the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with 
contempt by returning to her agent the flag which he supposed to be the flag 
presented to the regiment by the State under the direction of an act of Assem- 
bly, and giving as a reason for so doing that when the regiment was mustered 
into the service of the United States it ceased to have anything to do with the 
State. He has slandered the whole people of Pennsylvania, and especially her 
gallant soldiers on the field by saying "Pennsylvania soldiers will not fight 
— one Southern soldier is worth three of them. The rebel officers make a prac- 
tice of ascertaining in what part of the battle field the Pennsylvania troops 
are stationed, and then attack that part of the line," or words to that effect. 

In utter defiance and contempt of the act of Congress, to be presently re- 
ferred to, he took possession of a First Lieutenant's commission which I had 
issued to a non-commissioned officer of the regiment, court-martialed the officer 
for having accepted it, and retained the commission until it had been given in 
evidence before the court-martial. The facts above recited were all reported as 



82 PETERSBURG. 

found by a court of inquiiv, assembled on January 5th, 1864, of which Brig. Gen. 
De Russey was president, which also reported that in the opinion of the court 
no further military proceedings were necessary in the case. 

I add that the proceedings of Col. Gibson have been habitually so offensive 
that I have long since ceased to hold any communication with him. 

The heavy artillery is known to be a favorite arm. One regiment was 
raised in Penna., and when that was completed a second was authorized to 
be raised. — Authority to raise more in this State was refused, although in New 
York no less than sixteen regiments were authorized. In conseiaicnce of this 
refusal there was a large surplus recruited for the second regiment. This 
surplus amounts to more than enovigh to form another regiment, and measures 
were taken by the War Department to form one accordingly. — The act of Con- 
gress of July 20, i86i, provides that the field, staff and company officers of vol- 
unteer regiments shall be commissioned by the Governors of the respective States, 
and the act of Congress of August 6th, 1861, provides that vacancies thereafter 
occurring in the volunteer regiments, shall be filled by the Governors of the 
States respectively in the same manner as original appointments. 

In defiance of these provisions. Colonel Gibson undertook to appoint all the 
commissioned officers of the proposed new regiments, except the Lieutenants, 
Surgeons and Chaplain, including the Colonel and the persons thus named by 
him have been put in command. I of course disregarded this unwarrantable 
interference with the authority conferred on m'e by act of Congress, and ap- 
pointed and commissioned persons carefully selected for their fitness to be 
officers of the new regiment. These officers have not been mustered in; the new 
regiment has now been sent into the field having only ten company officers 
for more than fourteen hundred men, a number of them without commissions, 
at least four companies of from one hundred to one hundred and fittv men 
e'ach, being commanded by Sergeants, and, as I am creditably informed, without 
the usual sui)ply of Surgeons, surgical instruments or medical supplies. 

The conduct of Colonel Gibson produced great exasperation and discontent 
among the officers and men of the regiment, and their complaints to me were 
frequent and urgent. 

I repeatedly requested the War Department to return him to his battery, 
as captain in the regular service, but without success. I annex to this letter 
copies of the last two letters which I addressed to the War De])artment on this 
subject, dated, respectively, 2d December, 1863, and igth January, 1864. 

I'nder these circumstances, 1 have arrived at the concimton that I can no 
longer permit Col. Gibson to remain in command of the regiment, and by virtue 
of the power of removal vested in me by the form of aPpoiiitr.tcnt conferred 
on me by the act of Congress, / have determined to revoke, and supercede, and va- 
cate his commission, and dismiss him from his office. 

The most gentle construction to be put on the conduct of Col. Gibson, 
would be to ascribe to partial insanity. It appears that he admitted before the 
Court of Inquiry that he had the reputation of being eccentric, but not to the 
extent charged. To whatever cause, however, his course is to be attributed, my 
respect for the Commonwealth, whose organ I am, and my regards for the 
welfare of her citizens recruited for the Second Pennsylvania artillery, and 
now in the field, reciuire that I should seriously invoke your aid to overcome 
the obstacles heretofore created by some of your officers and bv which the 
exercise of the just authority conferred on me by the act of Congress, has been 
thus far in this case prevented. You, sir, are the responsible head of the Gov- 
ernment. Your duty and your oath of office re(iuire you to see that the laws 
be faithfully executed. These very acts of Congress were approved and signed 
by yourself. I will not believe that you will in effect violate them your- 
self by permitting officers who are under your control to disregard and 
trample on them. I'or obvious reasons connected with the public service, it is 
desirable to avoid, so far as may be possible, any appearance of a collision be- 
tween us on such a subject. 

If you conceive that the law as it now stands is unwise or inconvenient. 
Congress in still in session, and you can recommend an alteration of it. I 
pray you to recollect that under that law as it exists, my duty and mv responsi- 
bility arc co-extensive with my authority. I have no other alternative but to 
exercise it in conformity with my best judgment and discretion. 

I therefore do most respectfully but inost earnestly request frorn you the 
assurance that you will immediately give orders w-hich shall be effective on all 
your officers to obey the act of Congress above referred to. 

I St. By mustering out any field, staff or company officers in the regiments 
of Pennsylvania volunteers whose commission shall have been revoked and super- 
ceded by the Governor of this State; and 

2d. By mustering in, except in cases provided for by act of Congress, any 
person who shall have been commissioned as such officers in such regiments 



PETERSBURG. 83 

by the Governor of the State, whether as original appointments or to fill va- 
cancies. 

Under great discouragements this Commonwealtli and her authorities have 
endeavored in every way to aid the government in its struggles with treason, and I 
am proud to believe have most promptly, fully and cheerfully discharged their whole 
duty in this regard, and by the blessing of God will continue to do so. Her citizens 
have freely shed their blood in defence of their common country. They have 
volunteered in her service on the faith of solemn assurances by acts of Congress 
approved by yourself, that the selection of their regimental officers should be 
confided to the authorities of their own State, who would be comparatively 
familiar with their wants and with tlieir merits and claims. Sir, I implore you 
do not teach them that these assurances have been sohT'.n deceptions, and may 
be violated at the whim of any person holding a position in any of the grades 
of the military hierarchv, from Commander-in-Chief down to a mustering officer. 
\^ery respectfully, your obd't serv't, 

A. G. CURTIN. 

To this no reply was received. On the receipt of the following 
letters, addressed to the Surgeon General of Pennsylvania, surgeons 
were at once assigned to the regiment and ordered forward. 

H'dq'rs Prov'l _'d Pa. II. Art., Prov'I Brig., ist Div., 9th Corns, Va., 

May 29, 1864. 
.Adjutant General U. -S. Army. — Sir: — For the reason that no medical at- 
tendance has been permanently attached to my regiment by tlie Deiiartment, I 
appealed to my brigade commander, who assigned temporarily Assistant Sur- 
geon L. Phillips, 14th New York artillery. I most respectfully request that As- 
sistant Surgeon L. Phillips be permanently attached as surgeon of this regiment 
not only for his energy and ability, but for the marked success with which he 
alone has managed the 1,200 men now in my command. It is needless for me 
to set forth the imfiortance of haz'ing permanent medical attendance. The two 
assistant surgeons ordered to report to me by the Medical Department at Washing, 
ton, are not with the regiment. The one left it after being attached two dayx 
without ever reporting the cause therefor — the other one has not yet reported. 
I am, General, most respectfully, your obedient servant, 

THOS. WILHKLM, 
Col. Pro. 2d Penna. Heavy Artillery, Commanding. 
Surgeon General's Office. 

June 14, 1864. (A true copy). 

Chas. C. Lee, 
Assistant Surgeon U. S. Army. 

Surgeon General's Office. 

Washington, D. C, June 14, 1864. 
Sir: — I am directed by the acting Surgeon General to call your attention 
to the fact that the Provisional Pennsylvania 2d Heavy Artillery has been sent 
to the field without commissioned medical officers, and that virgent complaint 
is made upon the want of medical attendance, as will be seen by the enclosed 
letter. Your attention is respectfully called to this subject at your earliest con- 
venience. The two assistant surgeons rcferretl to in Col. Williams' letters, were 
serving temporarily under contract. I am, sir, very respectfully your obedient 
servant. l!v order of tlie .Acting Surg. Gen., 

CHAS. C. LEE, 
Ass't. Surgeon U. S. A. 
Dr. Wm. S. King, Surg. Gen. Pa., 
Harrisburg, Pa. 

Before, however, the surgeons so assigned had joined the regiment, 
the following letter was received from the Surgeon General of the 
United States : 

Surgeon Gener.\l's Office. 

Washington, D. C., June 22, 1864. 
Sir: — On the 14th inst. a letter was written to you calling your attention 
to the fact that the 2d Provisional Pennsylvania heavy artillery had been sent 
to the field without commissioned medical officers. 

Since the above letter was mailed, this office has been informed by the 
War Department that "it (the 2d Pennsylvania artillery regiment) is a provisional 
regiment organized by this (War) Department, and the Governor of Pennsylvania 



84 



PETERSBURG. 



cannot commission officers for it, and commissions by the Governor cannot be 
recognized." I am, sir, very respectfully your obedient servant. 
By order of the Acting Surg. Gen. 

C. H. CRANE, Surg. U. S. A. 
Dr. James King, Surg. Gen. Penna., 
Harrisburg, Pa. 

Immediately upon the receipt of this letter, I again addressed the 
President of the United States as follows : 

Penna. Executive Chamber. 

Harrisburg, June 24, 1864. 
Sir: — Since my communication of the i6th June, instant, the Surgeon 
General of Pennsylvania has received a letter from the Acting Surgeon General 
of the United States, a copy of which is herewith furnished, in which you notice 
that it is assumed that the Governor of Pennsylvania cannot commission officers 
in what is called the 2d Penna. heavy artillery regiment, and that the surgeons 
sent forward by my direction cannot be recognized by the War Department. 
I cannot believe that this assumption of power can meet your approbation, and 
feel it my duty to ask the question. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

A. G. CURTIN. 
To the President. 

P. S. — That vou may have a knowledge of the position of this affair, I enclose 
copies of the prior correspondence between the Surgeon General United States 
Army and the Surgeon General of Pennsylvania. 

No reply having been received, then I again addressed the Pres- 
ident (by telegraph) as follows: 

Penna. Executive Chamber. 

Harrisburg, June 30, 1864. 
On the i6th and 24th of June last I had the honor to address you letters 
in reference to the 2d heavy artillery, Pennsylvania volunteers, which I regarded 
as of importance to the public service, to which no answers have as yet been re- 
ceived. 

I beg leave to call your attention to mv letters, and ask an answer. My 
letters from the regiment since it was sent to the front are of such a character 
that it is mv duty to press upon you the relief of the citizens of this State in 
the regiment from the wrongs under which they suffer. 

A. G. CURTIN. 
To the President, Washington. 

On the i8th of July, 1864, I received a dispatch from the President, 
dated the day before, inviting me to come to Washington to confer with 
him on the subject, to which I at once replied, also by telegraph, that I 
could not leave Harrisburg at that time, and that as I had fully expressed 
my views in my letters of the i6th and 24th June last, I did not know of 
anything more that I could suggest in reference to the matter, and that 
I had directed the military agent of the State, Col. Francis Jordan, to 
call upon him. and asked him to receive him. 

In accordance with this arrangement. Col. Jordan had an interview 
with the President, and reported to me that the President expressed a 
willingness to remove Col. Gibson, and I presume that has been done; 
but as to the question of officering the regiment, I am as yet unadvised ; 
and, indeed, from the lapse of time, am induced to infer that the as- 
sumption of power by the War Department, in the order appointing 
officers, has not been abandoned. 

A. G. CURTIN. 

But, the incident in no way affected the competency of 
Colonel (iibson to command a body of troops, and much less 



PETERSBURG. 



85 



did it detract from him the admiration and love of his regi- 
ment 

On July 25th, 1864, details from the several Batteries 
of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery were made to 
construct a bridge across the ravine just to the left of the 
City Point & Petersburg Railroad bridge, which was after- 
wards utilized by Federal engineers in constructing the 
railroad which transported supplies from City Point to the 




FRED. BREGLER, 
Battery B. 



left of General Grant's line, beyond Hatcher's Run. 

That same night the regiment again entered the pits, 
at the point usually occupied by it. 

The firing on the enemy on July 26th was mostly con- 
fined to the left of the line, in the vicinity of the Second and 
Ninth Corps, who repulsed two attacks on them with a loss 
to the enemy of seven guns and over four hundred prison- 
ers. 



86 PETERSBURG. 

About this time many deserters from the enemy en- 
tered the works occupied by the Second Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery, after dark, giving much information as to 
how soldiers were faring in the services of the Confederacy, 
depicting general dissatisfaction in the Army of Virginia, 
and boldly asserted that thousands of Confederate soldiers 
would avail themselves of the iirst opportunity to desert. 

The regiment was again relieved from duty in the pits 
during a heavy rainstorm on the night of July 27th, and 
repaired to its camp in the ravine, where dress parade and 
inspection was held on the afternoon of the following- day. 
The clothing of the men at this inspection inspired the in- 
specting officers to suggest the propriety of having the men 
supplied with better raiment, which was, to a limited extent, 
supplied a few days afterwards. 

After inspection, dress parade ^yas had, w'hen a repre- 
sentative of Harper's JVeckly made a sketch of the regi- 
ment, which was published in that paper and occupied the 
two inside pages. In its comments, the paper said : "The 
Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery is recognized to be 
the l^est drilled and disciplined regiment in the volunteer 
service, and Col. Gibson is not only proud of his 'boys,' but 
feels assured the regiment will continue to hold its own in 
any duty it may be called upon to perform." 

On the 29th of July orders were given for the regiment 
to pack up and get ready to move. Five days' rations were 
issued to the men, and in the afternoon tents were struck, 
knapsacks packed, sixty extra rounds of ammunition given 
each man, and after the regiment was formed in line Chap- 
lain Hunt addressed the men, bid them good-bye, and de- 
voutly implored God's blessing upon them, plainly intimat- 
ing that there was to be "something doing" soon; after 
which the arms were inspected by the officers of each Bat- 
tery respectively, followed by stacking them, then the com- 
mand "rest!" was given. 

Many laid down on the ground and slept, while others 
conversed' and conjectured as to what was to take place, 
until about 10. o'clock p. m., when "fall in" was sounded, 
and the regiment, "breaking off" to the left, took up the 
march to a position some two miles distant. The road 



PETERSBURG. 87 

over which it marched was hned with amljulances, stretcher 
bearers and other "ghastly requisites" of an army. On 
reaching a chimp of woods in the rear of the breastworks 
occupied by the 9th Corps, the regiment came to a hah, 
and, after some manoeuvreing, formed Hne of battle in an 
open field to the right and rear of the above mentioned 
Corps, where the men lay on arms and were soon lost in 
sleep. 

In front of the 9th Corps was a fort of the enemy, 
known as "Fort Hell," which had been undermined by 
Col. Pleasanton's 48th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volun- 
teers. The fort, which was about two hundred feet distant 
from the works of the 9th Corps was located on a hill im- 
mediately in front of the Provisional Second Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery, the offspring of the Second Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery, which was organized therefrom, at Fort 
Ethan Allen in April, and which regiment was the first and 
last body of Federal troops to occupy the "Crater" on July 
30, 1864, entering it with a cheer in a charge after the blow- 
ing up of the fort, and the major portion of those not killed 
or wounded leaving it as prisoners of war through the ne- 
glect of some one in not having properly supported the gal- 
lant band of heroes. 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was aroused 
at about 4.45 o'clock on the morning of July 30th, by what 
seemed an earthquake, and the sight that presented itself 
was grand to behold. A column of fire and smoke with 
cannon, horses, men and earth co-mingled therewith, some 
200 or more feet in the air, certainly was a sight never to 
be forgotten by those who saw it. 

The debris caused by the springing of the mine had 
barely descended to the ground, when a cheer, indicating a 
charge of Federal troops, was heard, and those in front 
saw the Third Brigade Hedlie's Division of the 9th Corps, 
led by the "Provisional boys" enter the "crater." 

The enemy soon recovered from their surprise, and in 
an almost increditable short space of time opened one of the 
most terrific fires of artillery and musketry of the whole 
war. 



88 PETERSBURG. 

Shortly after the fighting began, the Second Penn- 
sylvania Heavy Artillery was marched forward on a double 
quick, through the clump of woods in its front to a point 
about two hundred yards in rear of the 9th Corps reserves, 
or about five hundred yards from the "crater," where it 
remained about fifteen minutes, after which it was faced to 
the rear and marched back into the woods about fifty yards, 
facing about and coming to a halt again. 

Shortly after. General Grant, accompanied by an aide 
and orderly, rode up within a few feet of where the Second 
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery stood, dismounted, turned 
his blouse inside out, exchanged his hat, with a private of 
this regiment for a cap, and, all alone, advanced to a position 
near the "Crater," viewed the field with glasses and re- 
turned. 

On his return he asked General Hinks. who had ap- 
proached to where Grant's horse was held, "where is But- 
ler?" He spoke in tones that many troops near by heard 
him, and, before General Hinks could answer, they shouted, 
"In a gopher hole." Although apparently vexed at the state 
of affairs, General Grant, with General Hinks and other 
field officers near by, could not evade laughing at the spon- 
taneous expression of the troops. 

Captain Baggs' description of the occasion is as fol- 
lows : 

"We heard the explosion and reaHzed that it was a complete sur- 
prise to the rebels. The firing on both sides was terrific, both with 
cannon and small arms. But the rebels soon sent in their supports 
and nearly all our colored troops were shot in the line of the enemy's 
works that they had captured, but were not able to hold. Gen. Grant 
was on the ground and went up to view the line for himself. I re- 
member seeing him walking through the woods, entirely alone, and with- 
out any arms at all. He was in a fatigue suit and smoking a cigar. 
He had seen that it was a failure and ordered the disposition of the 
troops accordingly. We were ordered into the intrenchment at this 
point. In passing through the woods to our position, I saw several 
men resting themselves, when a rebel shell fell alongside of one of the 
men and exploded. It literally tore the man all to pieces, blowing 
him in the air, probably fifty feet, and as he came down he looked like 
a rag. We were placed in the entrenchments lately occupied by the 
regiment that did the mining. 

There was no picket firing or sharpshooting at this part of the line, 
which was a great relief to us. But the weather became rainy and we 
found the mud a very disagreeable accompaniment of our new posi- 



PETERSBURG. 



89 



tion. We were not allowed to stay here long, however, but were 
moved near to our former position and brought under constant firing 
again." 




GROUP OF SURVIVORS. 

From a photograph taken at the reunion at I'liilailelphia in 18S8. 

Adjt. Griigati. Lieut. Porterfield. 

Lieut. Gramlich. Col. Gibson. Col. Strawbridge. Heury Cornish 
Geo. W. Ward. Capt. Haig. "Al." Berger. 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery remained in 
its last described position until about 11 o'clock, shot, shell 
and bullets falling promiscuously and undesirably close 
around it, making the men feel uneasy, and, as every sol- 



90 PETERSBURG. 

dier knows from experience, under such circumstances, anx- 
ious to be "in it" rather than be held in suspense, seeing 
their comrades in front falHng in squads when, if per- 
mitted, they might at least lend some assistance in their 
noble effort to hold the ground taken. 

Comrade Coursey, of Battery G, in his memoirs, re- 
ferring to this regiment on the above occasion, says : 

"On the night of July 29, you might have looked to the left of the 
Petersburg & City Point Railroad, and saw a ravine in which a small 
stream ran. On its banks are our regiment and the troops of the i8th 
Corps, all with gum blankets and half of a -shelter tent strapped on 
their backs, five days' rations in their haversacks, with twenty rounds 
of ammunition in addition to the forty rounds in their cartridge boxes. 

In passing I might mention that troops in active service seldom 
carried knapsacks. The first day's march they were generally destroy- 
ed or left behind. This would give us one change of clothing and that 
on our backs. For nearly six months this continued. But don't imag- 
ine it was the same old shirt. Oh, no, we often drew from the quar- 
termaster a new one, when the old one became so infested with lively 
things that we had to part company. 

But to go back to the scene in the ravine. We were all waiting 
to go out to the front line of works — waiting longer than usual. Our 
anxiety is relieved by the First Sergeant's command, "Fall in !" He 
passes on down the line examining critically the hammers and locks 
of our muskets and the stock of amunition on hand. He never ex- 
amined our haversacks. We looked into them ourselves, and often 
found them, like Mother Hubbard's cupboard, bare. 

Something unusual is about to occur. The command is again, 
"rest," and lying down many are soon asleep. 

Soon, however, the command is again given to "fall in," and we 
are soon marching away to the left — some two miles. Reaching the 
main road we overtake a long line of ambulances with their stretchers 
strapped to their sides, still colored by the blood of those who had 
previously been borne wounded to the rear. They move to the side of 
the road to allow us to pass, and our feelings are not improved any by 
the unusual number of surgeons and attendants with their cases of 
surgical instruments, and known in the army as "Jewelry peddlers." 
All this indicating the terrible work on hand for to-morrow. 

We arrived at our place in the line in rear of the 9th corps, and 
were soon in the same condition as we were in the ravine — awakened 
now and then by the weird and melancholy strains of the colored divi- 
sion of the oih corps, singing in their quaint way — 

"We looks like men a-marchin' on, 
We looks like men er-war." 

This is the way we passed the night in front of the crater. 

At 4.45 o'clock in the morning those who were asleep, and those 
who were not, were startled by a terrific explosion and discharge of 
no cannon and 50 mortars on the doomed rebel fort. Oh, how we 
shook! Some said, "If 1 could only get my morning's coffee I would 



PETERSBURG. 9 1 

not sliake from this cold Virginia dew." Still we shook. Our teeth 
chattered, and this was perceptible at the right of our company. A 
small fire had been built and at its embers our Capt. Barber was trying 
to light a cigar. Chauncy Bryant, who had an impediment in his 
speech, noticed the nervous condition of his young commander, and 
said: 'C-Captain, w-what w-would you d-o if n-no one w-was 1-looking?' 
The Captain replied, "I don't know, Chauncy, what would you do?' 
'G-Golly, I-Fd r-run !' And but for the honor of our manhood that 
tied us to the ranks and bound us to the flag, we would all have run. 

We were right in the rear of the charging division when the order 
came to advance. The officers aligned their commands, the color- 
bearers drew out their flags from their cases, the bugle sounds the 
advance and the troops go forward in as fine a line of battle as I ever 
saw. They entered the covered way and soon appear on the hill and 
charge up into the crater, one of the regiments the Provisional Second 
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery going beyond and reaching the farthest 
point of advance of the morning. 

While all this was going on and the Union side adding lilunder 
on blunder, the rebels were recovering from their fright and massing 
artillery on either flank of the crater, with infantry in the rear. Into 
this the colored division plunged, and recoiled, torn, shattered and 
bleeding from the terrible discharges of grape and canister. They re- 
treat to the crater, and many run the gauntlet and pass through our 
line to the rear. 

Now commences the slaughter of the men in the crater. The 
enemy brings up cohorn mortars and place them in front of the posi- 
tion and rain shell on this mass of mixed up humanity. Three times 
the white flag is raised, but no attention is paid to it, as the colored 
men went in with the cry, "Fort Pillow and no quarter !" Gen. Ma- 
hone, the commander of the division, told his men as they were ready 
to advance to re-capture the crater, "Show them what this cry meant.' 

On Cemetery Hill General Lee with his aides and other military 
leaders are looking through their field glasses. He turns to Gen. Ma- 
hone and says, 'General, retake that position.' He replied, 'General 
Beauregard lost it, and it is military etiquette that he retake it.' 
Said Lee, 'You take that position and we will talk about military eti- 
quette afterwards.' Gen. Mahone then said, 'I don't need my division ; 
I can take it with two brigades.' And he did, and out of the goo who 
oflfered to surrender only 300 found their way to the rebel rear." 

The battle was fought on Saturday, and it was Mon- 
day forenoon before a flag of truce ^^■as recognized and 
the dead buried. 

Sergeant McCurdy, of the 8th Alabama, Confederate 
regiment, who was in the fight, in an article written by him 
on "The Fight of the Crater," says: 

"Along the lines and in the crater in many places the dead were 
piled three and four deep, and when they were thrown out the blood 
remained half shoe deep. The day was the hottest in Virginia for 
thirty years, and the stench of the powder and blood and the bodies 
of the slain and wounded men was terrible to endure, many men 
vomiting as the result." 



92 PETERSBURG. 

At about 1 1 o'clock the firing in front almost ceased, 
and then the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery marched 
about two miles to the left and rear, when it was again 
formed in line of battle, marched forward to a line of 
earthworks, the men then occupying them "easing off" to 
the right and left to permit this regiment to enter them, 
which it did, and remained in that position until about 5 
o'clock p. m., when the regiment was relieved by troops of 
the Second Corps, and then marched back to its former 
position in the clump of woods immediately in front of the 
"Crater," where it was engaged all night in felling the trees 
and building breastworks and batteries, the enemy keeping 
up an artillery fire the whole night. 

During the days of July 31st and August ist and 2nd, 
the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery encamped just in 
rear of the earthworks it threw up the night of July 30th, 
rain falling all three days, the atmosphere being very cool. 

During a heavy musketry fire several men in the regi- 
ment were struck with spent bullets, among them being 
Lieutenant Jerome Buck, Lieutenant W. C. Laughlin and 
Sergeants Porterfield, Gramlich and Fisher, none of whom, 
however, were seriously wounded. 

About 3 o'clock p. m., of August 2nd, the regiment 
was relieved by colored troops, and then marched back to 
its old camping ground in the ravine. 

Reaching the camping ground about 5 o'clock p. m., 
tents were pitched, supper cooked (?) and eaten; roll-call 
was sounded, and after going through that "performance," 
arms were stacked, "right-face! break ranks!" was ordered, 
and the men, knowing full well that with arms stacked, 
something else was "on the carpet," hastened to the stream 
of water in front and began to bathe, a luxury they seldom 
enjoyed during the "siege of Petersburg." Not only the 
men, but officers also took advantage of the opportunity 
to indulge in a bath, one of whom said "it certainly is a 
treat." 

At this time the regiment was greatly reduced in num- 
bers — the list of killed, wounded, captured and sick being 
more than one-half of the number that left Fort Ethan 
Allen on the 27th of May. 



PETERSBURG. 93 

About this time General Ames, who commanded the 
Second Division of the i8th Army Corps, to which the 
Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was attached, formed 
an extra body of men to act as sharpshooters, many of 
whom were detailed from the Second Pennsylvania Heavy 
Artillery (the writer being one of the number), to assist 
the regular sharpshooters in keeping up a continuous fire 
from the pits. 

Shortly after 8 o'clock p. m., August 2nd, the regi- 
ment again marched to its old position in the pits to the left 
of the City Point and Petersburg Railroad, where the men 
were required to remain awake the whole night, in antici- 
pation of an attack by the enemy, who were massed directly 
in front of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, and 
as deserters had stated the enemy had undermined Fort 
Steadman, it was expected to be the point of attack. 

Before daylight the next morning, August 3rd, the 
regiment moved a short distance to the right, and "closed 
up," to make room for colored troops who had been held in 
reserve just to the rear of this regiment during the night. 

The advent of these colored men was the incentive for 
a concentrated fire of artillery and musketry, by the enemy 
on the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, and, of course 
was promptly responded to. Several men of the regiment 
were wounded, and one or two killed. The firing was 
kept up during that and the following day. 

The Confederates attempted to blow up Fort Stead- 
man on the 5th of August, but, anticipating such an in- 
tention on the part of the enemy, wells were previously sunk 
around it, and the mine leading to the fort being more 
than two hundred feet short of reaching it the attempt was 
a failure. The fort was partly built by the Second Penn- 
sylvania Heavy Artillery, and the regiment lay with its 
left flank almost in front of the fort when the mine was 
exploded, consecjuently the regiment suffered somewhat 
from the firing subsequent to the explosion. 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was re- 
lieved from the pits on the night of August 5th and returned 
to its camp, where it enjoyed a couple of days in compara- 
tive rest, and new clothing was furnished many of the men. 



94 PETERSBURG. 

While leaving the breastworks, Lieutenant Jerome Buck, 
of Battery L, was struck by a bullet, but his gum blanket 
prevented a wound. 

On the /th of August the regiment moved to the left, 
immediately adjoining the 9th Corps in the breastworks, 
near the Hare House. 

On Monday morning, August 8th, while on picket, 
several men of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery 
were wounded and one or two were killed. Among the 
former was Franklin Divine, of Battery M, who was shot 
through the mouth. John Tench of the same Batterv vol- 
unteered to go and bring him in, which he did by crawling 
flat on his stomach to where Divine lay, placed Divine on 
his (Tench's) back and returned in the same manner. It 
was still moonlight and the enemy's pickets not one hundred 
feet away, making it a daring and heroic act, for had Tench 
been seen he would have had but one chance in a hundred, so 
to speak, of not being shot. 

However, the above is but one of the many instances 
of such deeds performed by individual members of the regi- 
ment during its time of service. 

Another incident, to illustrate the heroism of men that 
comprised the regiment, is that of Corporal Story, of Bat- 
tery D, who on the T6tli of June, 1864, to ascertain if the 
batteries near Fort Clifton were occupied, entered a small, 
flat-bottom boat lying on the banks of the Appomattox river, 
paddled half-way over, raised his rifle, and fired at the 
enemy's works, resulting in a hundred or more musket balls 
flying around him. one or two of which penetrated his 
clothing. He (lro])])ed flat in the boat, and wnth one oar 
sculled himself back out of rifle range. The battery, evi- 
dently, was manned, and Colonel Gibson, becoming con- 
versant with that fact, through Corporal Story's exploit, 
moved his command to cover therefrom, but none too soon, 
as immediately thereafter the battery sent shot and shell 
across the Appomatox river at a lively rate. Had the regi- 
ment gone much farther in the open this battery would have 
had a flank fire on it, and, consequently, by Story's act, 
escaped without serious results. 



PETERSBURG. 95 

During the day of August 8th the paymaster made his 
appearance at the regiment's camp in the ravine, when at in- 
tervals and in squads of eight or ten at a time, the men 
w^uld run the gauntlet of sharpshooters, mostly going by 
way of the "covered way" (a ditch dug zig-zag from the 
pits to some distance in the rear) to get their pay. many of 
whom, however, got little or no money, Sutler Wood, of 
course, being present to claim and collect amount due him 
for goods procured from him "on tick." 

For a few days after pay, a great many men indulged 
in games of chance, the most of whom seemed infatuated 
with the"sweatboard" way of getting "broke," while, others, 
of course, had "a social game of poker," etc. It was very 
amusing, at times, to see the manner in which they would 
"hoodwink" the officers who would "get onto the game," 
and in many instances men detailed to leave the pits to see 
whether a certain man was really in camp would find the 
sick (?) man "backing the board," and in three cases out 
of five the "detective" would "take a hand or two" before 
going back to report — and invariably they would report 
the man sick. 

On Augaist 9th, 1864, an explosion of an ammunition 
boat at City Point brought the men of the regiment to their 
feet, they thinking the concussion was caused by "another 
attempt of the enemy to blow us up." Many, however, who 
were facing the rear, saw the air filled with cannon, horses, 
fire, smoke, etc., a few seconds before the shock was felt, 
and thus guessed what it was. 

That evening the Tenth New York Heavy Artillery 
relieved the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, which 
then repaired to its camp in the ravine, where it rested the 
following day, and on the day following was inspected by 
the brigade commander. 

That night, August nth, the regiment again returned 
to its usual position in the pits, relieving the Tenth New 
York Heavy Artillery and remained there, the usual firing 
being kept up until the night of the 13th, when it was re- 
lieved, and learned that the Tenth New York had gone to 
join General Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley. 



96 



PETERSBURG. 



Captain Baggs, then in command of the Third Batta- 
lion of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, moved 
his command to the Ninth Corps' front on the 14th of 
August, taking position just in rear of the "crater mine," 
which was almost as hot a position as it formerly held near 
the City Point Railroad. 

On the 15th of August, during a heavy rainstorm, a 
dam at the breastworks, some distance up the ravine in 




J. HENRV PIPPITT. 
Battery H. 



which the regiment had its camp, gave way, causing a rapid 
rise in the stream and not only washed away all the camp's 
equipage, l)ut caused the drowning of some two hundred 
soldiers who were camped some distance ftu'ther up the 
ravine and were caught in the sudden rise of the water, 
mostly of whom were colored troops. Many were seen 
floating down the current on logs, but were unable to make 
shore, and were carried to the railroad bridge, where, strik- 



PETERSBURG. 97 

ing the stone abutments, would become entangled in the 
jam of logs there and be either killed or drowned. 

Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin F. Winger, in a letter, 
referred to the flood and his experiences as follows : 

"A funny, yet sad thing occurred at the time of a big Virginia 
flood in the ravine in the rear of Fort Steadman, in 1864, where we 
had our main headquarters. Several sutlers' tents were in this ra- 
vine, and their whole stock was flooded down the stream towards the 
Appomatox. A number of cases of champagne were seen swimming 
along, and an old sailor jumped in and got a case. An old soldier 
seeing it, also jumped in, and attempted to capture two cases, but 
failed, for, although a good swimmer, the swift current of the waters 
carried him down to the railroad bridge, where, being caught and 
fastened in the debris, he was drowned. 

During our service of three and a half years we did much hard 
and faithful duty; and yet we had with it some pleasant experiences, 
all of which we would not surrender for all the other experiences of 
our lives." 

The Batteries of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Ar- 
tillery that were in the pits were relieved and returned to 
camp in a drenching rain, about 3 o'clock the morning of 
August 1 6th, when, after breakfast and doctor-call, the 
regiment was inspected, extra rations and ammunition is- 
sued to the men, and they told to hold themselves in readi- 
ness to move at a moment's notice. 

About 6 o'clock that evening the regiment fell in again 
and marched to the left two miles, to about the posi- 
tion that the Provisional regiment occupied the morning of 
the "crater fight," where it was put to work repairing dam- 
age done to the breastworks by the flood a day or two be- 
fore, in addition to corduroying and otherwise repairing the 
roads, all the time being under the fire of the enemy's sharp- 
shooters and artillery, however, with little loss. 

On the afternoon of August i8th, 1864, the firing of 
both sides was something terrific, and very little work, be- 
yond "juking" shells and bullets, was done Soon after 
dark the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was marched 
about half a mHe to a woods in the rear, and, almost ex- 
hausted from fatigue and want of sleep, was permitted to 
lay down until midnight, at which time it was again called 
up, and formed in line "to move at a moment's notice." 
Shortly afterwards, the "scare," whatever it was, not ma- 



98 PETERSBURG, 

terializing, the regiment took up the march to its old camp- 
ing ground in the ravine, which was reached about 3 o'clock 
on the morning of August 19th, where it again pitched 
tents and remained until the night of the 20th, the regi- 
ment being drilled and inspected during the day, with dress 
parade iii the evening. 

After night set in the regiment was again ordered into 
the pits, this time occupying them almost from the Appo- 
matox river on its right to nearly opposite Fort Steadman, 
on its left, this being necessary owing to the absence of 
troops belonging to the i8th Corps, they having been sent 
to Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley, and to fill vacancies 
caused by troops leaving the pits farther on the left for 
the same destination. 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery remained 
in the pits until the night of August 24th, when it was 
again relieved and returned to its camp. 

At 10 o'clock a. m., August 25th, 1864, the regimental 
bugles of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery sounded 
"Assemble." After falling in line Colonel Fairchild ad- 
dressed the command and, intimating a movement about to 
be made more congenial to the men, complimented it for 
the very patient and faithful manner in which the men so 
far had served their country and as entertaining implicit 
confidence that thev "would continue to do so in other 
fields." 

After a short "in place, rest," the regiment took up the 
march, and 5 o'clock p. m. found it at Point of Rocks, on 
the Appomatox river, where tents were pitched and the 
regiment went into Camp. 

The departure from Petersburg front was marked by 
rejoicing among the men and officers. Seventy-two days 
in the seige of the city, under continuous fire of shot and 
shell at night with that of musketry added in the daytime, the 
deadly sharpshooters' vigil watch assuring death or wound 
to any who unthinkingly permitted any part of his person 
to protrude beyond or above cover, was straining to the 
nerves in the extreme, and many members of the regiment 
paid the forfeit. Adding to the above the impure and lim- 
ited supply of water to l)e had ; the intense heat ; the drench- 



PETERSBURG. 99 

ing rains ; the plague of flies by day and mosquitoes at 
night, with the "grayback" pestering day and night, with- 
out regard to rain or shine, certainly was a state of affairs 
to incline any class of men to rejoice exceedingly when re- 
lieved therefrom. 

Endurance of the above by the soldiers of 1861-65 cer- 
tainly merits the most generous evidence of appreciation 
from the succeeding generations of that country that their 
services and sufferings made possible to be enjoyed by pos- 
terity as the land of the free and home of the brave. 



lOO 



CHAPTER VI. 

Bermuda Hundred Front. 

On the 26th clay of August, 1864, at 10 o'clock a. m., 
the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery again struck tents 
and marched to Bermuda Hundred front, thence to a woods 
at a point near the Appomatox river on the line of earth- 
works known as "Bermuda Hundred Front." 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery here formed 
the "Provisional Brigade Defences of Bermuda Hundred," 
under command of General Ferrero. 

Here the regiment realized an agreeable surprise, in- 
asmuch as it had been accustomed to being under contin- 
uous fire when behind breastworks, as at Cold Harbor and 
Petersburg, it anticipated a continuance of the same when 
ordered behind those at Bermuda Hundred Front. Such 
was not the case; not even on the picket line, which at this 
place was over a mile in front of the breastworkss at some 
points, and at certain places along the line the pickets would 
exchange papers, tobacco and coffee. The camp was near 
a signal tower about 150 feet high, known as the "Crow's 
Nest Lookout," from which a view could be had of the sur- 
rounding country and also of the movements of the enemy. 

The first two or three days at Bermuda Hundred Front 
the several Batteries of the regiment had inspection, and 
the Battalions were changed about somewhat. 

On the 31st of August the Second Pennsylvania Heavy 
Artillery was permitted to visit other troops along the line, 
without passes, something heretofore unknown by the men. 

Between the 31st of August and the 5th of September 
the regiment done comparatively nothing except rest, and 



BERMUDA HUNDRED FRONT. lOI 

furnish small details from each Battery daily for picket 
duty. To quote an officer's expression made some time 
after the war, in referring to the regiment's services at this 
point — 'Tt was a picnic compared with Cold Harbor and 
Petersburg." 

Return of the Provisional Regiment. 

On the 5th day of September, 1864, the regiment was 
paraded to receive into its ranks again what was left (437- 
men) of that gallant band of comrades, numl3ering over 
1400, and designated "The Provisional Second Pennsylva- 
nit Heavy Artillery," which was composed of men from 
the ranks of the "Second Heavy," and with which it parted 
at Fort Ethan Allen on the 26th of April, 1864. 

There never was a day in the history of the Second 
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, before or after the 5th day 
of September, 1864, except it be at the time of its final dis- 
charge from military service, that more genuine pleasure 
and happiness was afforded its membership than this, the re- 
uniting of the two regiments — parent and child, as it were. 
The re-uniting was not that only of the two regiments, 
but, in many instances, that also of father and son, brothers 
as well as schoolmates, "chums," etc. ; and to those comrades 
present on that occasion the event will not be forgotten until 
that day when they "shall meet again never to part any 
more forever." 

The following is the order re-uniting the two regi- 
ments : 

"War Department, Adj. Gen'l's Office. 
Washington, Aug. 26, 1864. 
Special Order, No. 282. 

Extract. 
12. The organization styled the "Provisional 2d Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery" as temporarily organized by Special Orders, No. 153, 
April 20th, 1864, from this Office, is hereby discontinued, and the en- 
listed men thereof will be returned to the 2d Pennsylvania Heavy Ar- 
tilery, (from the surplus of men of which the Provisional regiment 
was formed, there to be assigned to companies so as to fill them to the 
maximum. The excess, if any, will be distributed pro rata among the 
companies, and borne upon the rolls thereof as "unassigned." 

The commissioned officers of the Provisional organization will 



I02 ■ BERMUDA HUNDRED FRONT. 

fall back upon their respective grades, (as retained for them by Spec- 
ial Orders No. 153,) in the original organization. 

Those who, prior to their provisional appointments, were enlisted 
men, will be retained as officers, and the Regimental Commander will 
report their names to the Governor of the State, with the view of their 
being commissioned to vacancies now existing, or which may occur. 

The Commanding General of the Army of the Potomac will cause 
the Provisional regiment, (now in the Qth Corps,) to be sent to the 
18th Army Corps, in order that the Commanding General thereof may 
look to the prompt execution of this Order, through the Corps Com- 
missary of Musters. 

The consolidation effected, the Commissary of Musters will make 
a full return of the force to this Office, reporting therein his action in 
full. 

Bv order of tlie Secretary of War : 

E. D. TOWNSEND, 

Assistant Adjutant General. 

Official : 

E. D. ToWNSEND, 

Assistant Adjutant General." 

The officers and men of the Provisional regiment were 
distribnted among the Batteries of the old regiment pretty 
much as they were prior to being transferred therefrom to 
the Provisional regiment in April, 1864; many of the men, 
however, were never before with the Second Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery, having been enlisted and sent directly to 
the Provisional regiment after its formation, and the names 
of whom were carried on the rolls after the consolidation 
of the two regiments as "unassigned," there being among 
them several whose term of enlistment was for one year 
only. 

On the 7th of September, 1864, the First Battalion 
moved to the right of the line, nearly oposite Fort Darling 
and the Howlet House Battery on the James river, taking 
the place of the 189th New York Regiment, whose time of 
service had expired. 

The following day the Second Pennsylvania Heavy 
.Artillery participated in a review of the Brigade in the 
morning and had regimental inspection in the afternoon. 

Nothing except routine duty was required of the regi- 
ment until the 14th of the month, when, about 5 o'clock p. 
m., the enemy fired three or four shots at the "Crow's 
Nest Lookout Tower," which were "cheerfully responded 
to" by the "Omimodorc Perry," a ferry-boat pattern of 



BERMUDA HUNDRED FRONT. 



103 



gunboat lying in the Appomatox river, at a point opposite 
a ravine running from said river midway between the two 
Hues and extending about half way from the Appomatox 
river to the James. The firing, an unusual thing at this 
front, brought the men of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy 
Artillery from all directions to the breastworks, anxiously 
listening for firing by the pickets, one hour or so, when or- 
ders were given to "rest," the firing of the artillery having 
ceased. 

On September i6th the Second Pennsylvania Heavy 
Artillery was reviewed by Colonel Fairchild, of the 89th 



F: 






i^ 






M 
















^ i 






/•■ 










BERMUDA FRONTS, 

Showing location of "Crow's Nest Lookout," Breastworks, 

Picket Line, Redoubts McConihe, Button 

and Carpenter. 

N. Y., who had been made brevet brigadier general, and the 
day following Major Anderson had it parade, following 
which dress parade was had, at which orders were read by 
Adjutant Florence W. Grugan, announcing the dividing 
of the regiment again into three Battalions, as many re- 
cruits were almost daily added to the regiment, and was 
then nearly the strength of some brigades. 

On September 17th, Sutler Wood, of the regiment, was 
detected in some "crooked business" (selling fake Jamaica 
ginger, canned peaches with one peach and balance spirits 
frumenti) bv General Ord, who ordered his goods to be 



I04 BERMUDA HUNDRED FRONT. 

confiscated, and the "boys" present were not long carrying 
out tlie order. 

The regiment was spHt up on September i8, 1864, 
when, by order of the Division Commander, a BattaHon 
was attached to each brigade of the Division. 

On September 19th, the Third BattaHon of the regi- 
ment was sent on a double quick to intercept, if possible, 
the party of Confederates who had captured 2,500 head of 
cattle somewhere below City Point. It failed to do so. but 
remained on duty until September 28th at a point about 
three miles below City Point. 

The Second Battalion, under command of Captain Mc- 
Clure, and the brigade to which it was attached, started to 
march to City Point about 9 o'clock p. m., on the 19th of 
September, but was ordered back before reaching there, 
and, accordingly, returned to Bermuda fronts that same 
night. 

The following morning an order came for a detail of 
I Sergeant, 3 Corporals and 21 Privates from Battery B, 
and as the men were considerably worn out from the hasty 
march of the previous night, and not knowing the object of 
the detail, there was more or less grumbling when Sergeant 
Gramlich made out the detail, with instructions to report at 
Point of Rocks Hospital ; but, to their agreeable surprise, 
on reporting at the hospital, they relieved other troops who 
were performing guard duty, and continued to do so until 
mustered out, whilst Sergeant Gramlich and the rest of the 
Battery continued to perform the hazardous duties of the 
campaign. 

A salute was fired from all the guns along the lines on 
morning of September 21st, 1864, ^^'^ honor of Sheridan's 
victory in the Shenandoah Valley, and the two Battalions of 
the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery at Bermuda 
Hundred Front participated in a review of the Division. 

Another shotted salute for a victory by Sheridan was 
fired along the line on September 24th, some details from 
this regiment helping to man the guns in the batteries and 
redoubts along the line. 

On the afternoon of Wednesday, September 28th, 
1864, the Third Battalion returned to Bermuda Hundred 



BERMUDA HUNDRED FRONT. IO5 

Front, arriving about 5 o'clock. It had been on picket and 
scouting duty at a point about two miles below City Point, 
where it marched to on the 19th of September. 

On the 25th of September, 1864, a detail of forty-three 
men from the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was 
sent to Horse Battery B, First U. S. Artillery, and served 
in that Battery until the late part of October, 1865, when 
they again rejoined their respective Batteries in the regi- 
ment. 

During their attachment to Horse Battery B, they were 
engaged at Chaplin's Farm, September 29th, to October 
1st, 1864. 

Darbytown, Va., October 7th, 1864, where the Battery 
lost 13 men, 53 horses, 4 guns and 4 caissons. 

Petersburg, April 2nd, 1865, Rice's Station, April 6th, 
Farmville, April 7, 1865. 

After a forced march of thirty-five miles, the Battery 
went into action, at a gallop, on the Lynchburg road at 
Appomatox Court House, April 9th, 1865, where it fired 
the last gun that was fired at the Confederate Army in Vir- 
ginia. 

The detail was as follows : 

Battery A — Max Hauser, John Heinlein, Jacob Miller, Gottfried 
Urbach. 

Battery G — Sylvanus Beitterman, James B. Carey, Peter Endress, 
Samuel Groman, Eli Hazen, Jacob Heckman, Samuel M. Koch, Michael 
O'Neill, Frederick Wolf. 

Battery H — George Dallison, George D. Grieve, Henry Hamber, 
Nathan Johnson, Charles McGlone, George Manypenny, John Ross, 
Jacob Sutton, John Shandy. 

Battery I— Butler W. Beck, Robert Devlin, David A. Heisler, Wil- 
liam McDermott, Ritter McF. Davis, James Street, Andrew Urbach, 

Battery K— Thomas W. Malone. 

Battery L — John H. Brooks, John Dallas, John Driannan, Robert 
H. Elliott, George Fanning, Levi Frank, Charles Kahle, Baltis Miller, 
William C. Steck, William H. Stevens, John K. Taylor, Gaylord Wood, 
John Wenner. 



io6 



CHAPTER VII. 
Chapin's Farm. 

At 12 o'clock on the night of September 28th, 1864, 
the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was called up, 
and formed into line, after each man had been served with 
four hardtack and twenty extra round of cartridge. 

The 207th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, a regi- 
ment of men who had enlisted for one year — called by vet- 
erans '*one hundred year soldiers" — took the place of the 
"Second Heavy" at Bermuda Hundred Front, and at 12.30 
o'clock on the morning of September 29th, the last named 
regiment, in light marching order — without knapsacks, shel- 
ter tents, blankets, etc. — marched to Aiken's Landing, on 
the James river, a distance of about ten miles, where it 
crossed the river on a "muffled pontoon bridge" before day- 
light, and, after marching up the bluff, by way of the 
Varina road, formed line of battle. 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, under com- 
mand of Major James L. Anderson, and the Eighty-ninth 
New York Regiments comprised the Third Brigade of the 
Second Division, i8th Army Corps. Colonel Fairchild, of 
the Eighty-ninth was in command of the Brigade, and 
General Heckman commanded the Division. 

Soon as the line of battle was formed, the Brigade ad- 
vanced, double quick, into a hastily vacated camp of the 
enemy, a short distance in front, thence through a woods, 
in support of troops, under General Burnham, who were 
making a charge on Battery Harrison, a large work of the 
enemy located to the left of the Varina road. 

Just as Fairchild's Brigade emerged from the woods 
and was climbing over a fence surrounding a cornfield. Gen- 



CHAPIN S FARM. IO7 

eral Burnham's troops were entering Battery Harrison, on 
the crest of which General Burnham was mortally wounded 
while leading his men in the charge. 

Battery Harrison was located about five miles south- 
east of Richmond, and about the same distance from 
Aiken's Landing. Its capture included some sixteen pieces 
of artillery, half a dozen of which were sixty-four pound 
guns. 

General Ord was wounded in the thigh and carried 
from the field shortly after Battery Harrison was captured. 

The captured battery was that night unmolested, and 
was transformed into a fort by the Federal troops, and 
called Fort Burnham, in honor of the general who so suc- 
cessfully led his men in its capture, which was a very great 
feat of daring, considering the many obstacles, such as 
ditches, trip wires, abatis, etc., to be passed or destroyed be- 
fore reaching the batter}^, and General Burnham was one 
of the first to enter the works. 

A large fort to the right of Battery Harrison, known 
as Fort Gilmer, was assaulted by two divisions of the 
Tenth Corps, in succession, in the morning, they being re- 
pulsed, with great loss, on each occasion. 

The first assault was made by Foster's Division and the 
second by Birney's, the latter being colored troops. 

Stimulated, probably, by General Butler's promises of 
promotions galore and extra six months' pay to first troops 
to enter Richmond, Major Anderson requested Colonel 
Fairchild to permit him to lead his regiment in a charge 
on Fort Gilmer, remarking that he believed it to be "the key 
to Richmond, and I believe my command can take the fort." 
Colonel Fairchild granted the request. 

' The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery quickly 
formed in line, and after explaining to Major Sadler and 
Captain Jones his "plan of attack,*' Major Anderson or- 
dered the regiment to move to the assault. Colonel Fair- 
child, with the 89th New York to follow in supporting 
distance. 

After going some distance, the brigade became divided 
while crossing a small stream of water, in attempting to 
reach a knoll, and Capt. Baggs, of Battery D, then acting 



io8 chapin's farm. 

aide-de-camp to Col. Fairchild, was directed to go with the 
advance, which was the Second Penna. Heavy Artillery. On 
reaching- the knoll it was seen that a corn field and an open 
plateau intervened between the fort and the regiment, and, 
not to expose the men to the fire of the enemy by waiting for 
the 89th to come up, Major Anderson determined to order 
the men forward at once. 

After sending the colors to the rear, as the men re- 
cjuested, the regiment formed line of battle under cover of 
the cornfield, then advanced through it to an open field or 
plateau immediately in front of the fort, the First Battalion, 
Major Anderson in command, leading, the Second, Major 
Sadler, on the right and the Third, Capt. Jones, on the left, 
the two latter Battalions about 100 yards respectively to the 
rear of the first. 

The plateau w^as commanded by the guns of the fort 
in front and a battery or redoubt to the right, and also, the 
guns of the enemy's gunboats in the James river on the 
left, all of which had good range on the field. Neverthe- 
less, the three Battalions bravely advanced under the con- 
centrated fire of all the above guns, in addition to volleys of 
musketry from troops defending the works. The regiment 
had not yet fully entered the plateau when the command 
"double-quick!" was given, and, with a cheer the First 
Battalion sprang forward, followed by the other two, under 
a shower, as it were, of bullets and shells, men dropping, 
killed or wounded, at every step; yet they press on; and 
when within three hundred feet of the goal, Major Ander- 
son fell, killed. Captains Baggs and Jones and Lieut Can- 
non wounded. Major Sadler, seeing this, ordered his and 
Captain Jones' Battalion to "halt and cover," then sprang 
forward to the First Battalion, wdiich was beginning to 
waver under the terrific fire poured upon it, and, on reach- 
ing which, flashing his sword, led it forward, as to attempt 
to fall back then would mean certain death to almost every 
man, and, though wounded, gallantly led the remains of 
the shattered Battalion into the redoubt, where it was over- 
powered and the men made prisoners by the Confederates, 
who numbered several thousand. 



chapin's farm. 109 

In this assault the regiment lost over 300 in killed, 
wounded and prisoners, the body of Major Anderson being 
left on the field, in whose pocket was his commission as 
Colonel of the regiment, which he received the day before, 
while at Bermuda Hundred Front. 

The failure of Colonel Fairchild not properly support- 
ing the regiment with the 89th, in a measure, at least, 
tended to cause failure of success in the assault. 

The two Battalions of the Second Pennsylvania Heavy 
Artillery regiment which were ordered to cover did so by 
lying down behind stumps, rocks, etc., and in squads, twos 
and singly, escaped, after nightfall principally, by falling 
back ; many though, kept up a fire on the enemy from their 
confined positions all the time they were compelled to remain 
under cover. 

The following is the personal experience of S. M. 
Coursey, of Battery G, in the fight of September 29th. 

"Well do I remember the 28th of September, 1864. In the evening 
we were ordered to break camp and during the night marched over 
the pontoon bridge across the James river. Directly after crossing, 
just at day-break, we were deployed in line of battle, the sound of 
heavy volleys of musketry and artillery coming to us as we advanced. 
We had occasion to cross a ditch and when Lieut. Duffield attempted 
to jump it he lost his balance and fell into it. There was something 
about this man that was very mysterious to me — the greatest mystery 
being how his skin held so much poor whiskey as it did. 

We marched almost to a large woods and were then faced to the 
right and continued along the road past a battery in full view of 
the troops that were filing into the works at Fort Harrison. The 
sight was beautiful but awful. Dead and wounded men were lying 
over the field without number. Here two of our company showed their 
cowardice and left the command. 

We were then marched to the right of Fort Harrison to where 
there was a three gun battery. The guns were still there and one 
rebel was drawing his last breath. We were halted here and re- 
formed and then ordered forward over timber which had been cut 
down in every conceivable shape. Sometimes our line was straight, 
but oftener very crooked, but we charged on. I was at the left of 
the company, then at the centre, and then at the extreme right. Some 
were shot beside me, some behind and some in front. Major Anderson 
was killed and most of the line officers were down. A Second Lieu- 
tenant of Batt. I rushed to the front, waving his sword, calling the 
men to follow. Not more than half the men were on their feet at 
this time. Bullets, grape and canister were flying so fast that it 
reminded one of a swarm of bees buzzing around. I was excited 
and saw no danger; I was trying to. keep with the line; my head 
was up and while looking at the fort ahead of us I ran astride of a 



I lO CHAPIN S FARM. 

Stump and foil on my face. When I got to my feet again there were 
but two men standing — Snyder and Rush of my company — who were 
going toward the fort. I then realized where I was and saw I was 
a target for the Johnnies. I was badly scared, in fact the worst 
scared I ever was in my life, and I don't believe I have entirely gotten 
over it yet. In writing this a sort of horror comes over me. Self- 
preservation is the first law of nature, so I got down on the ground, 
and discovered a stump about ten feet ahead of me. I got behind it, 
but it proved to be no larger than one of my legs. I was there only 
a few minutes when Abel, a big fat Dutchman, got down on top of 
me. He must have been worse scared than I was, for he did not see 
me. I crawled out from under him and got behind a large oak stump 
and lay there. 

In a short time I heard a rebel officer giving orders to his men 
to come out and capture us. At first thought I concluded to let them 
capture me, but a second thought came of home and liberty and I 
decided to run for it. I jumped up with my gun at a trail and started. 

A rebel yelled out, "Halt, you little Yankee !'' I had agreed to 

obey all officers who were placed over me when I enlisted, but I did 
not obey him. I kept on running until I came to a big log where 
two men belonging to a Rhode Island regiment were sharpshooting. 
I stopped with them and did some shooting myself. But the rebels 
were getting too close picking up prisoners, so we gave them a volley 
and separated. I headed for a piece of woods, at the edge of which 
I found Captain Strawbridge, walking along with his sword in his 
right hand striking at chips, as unconcerned as though taking a walk 
for his health. Further on I came to two men of Batt. K, who were 
carrying Lieut. Cannon, who was desperately wounded. I offered to 
help them, but they wished me to give them iny blanket, which I did 
and helped them wrap the Lieutenant in it so they could carry him 
better. He was suffering great pain, having been wounded in the groin 
by a piece of shell or grape shot. 

I retreated slowly to an old log house on the edge of the timber 
immediately in front of the battery where we started to make the 
charge. I went in and found the house deserted, and nothing eatable 
in sight. However, I found a pair of gold ear rings in a closet, and 
would have made a thorough search, but the rebels, no doubt thinking 
the house and woods full of Yankees, threw a two hundred pound 
shell through the roof, and I concluded to hunt a safer place. 

Well, the great charge was over, and only a wreck remained of 
what was previously as fine a regiment of soldiers as the army could 
boast of. My impression is that our officers were ordered to only 
make a rcconnoisance in force. If not, it was certainly a serious 
blunder to send a handful of men, unsupported, to take works manned 
by at least six times our number. The movements of that memorable 
day I think lacked generalship. I have been informed there were 
forty thousand men massed at Chapin's Bluff, and if they had been 
placed in motion properly Richmond would have been an easy prey. 

I found at the battery Lieut. Duffield and a few others of our 
company and regiment, with some from other regiments, in all about 
one hundred men. We did the best we could shooting at the rebels 
in the fort, but the distance was too great to make the fire effective. 
After a short time a Union battery came and unlimbered and went to 
shelling the fort, but they were too much exposed to a front fire from 



CHAPIN S FARM, 



III 



the fort and a diagonal fire from the gunboats on the James river. 
After losing some of their men and horses the battery was withdrawn. 

In the front was a withering fire, in the rear exploding shells — 
shells that made the ground tremble where we were, the pieces flying 
all around us. I saw a number of things that are seen on every battle- 
field. Some were crying, some singing, some playing cards, some 
eating, some quarreling, some caring for a wounded comrade, some 
swearing and some stealing from the dead. My scare ended as soon 
as I got with some Rhode Island men and I really enjoyed being there. 

I remained there that night and the next day we rejoined the regi- 
ment at the left of Fort Harrison. 




SERGEANT JOHN SPENCER, 
Battery H. 

Capt. Caldwallader told me he thought I was among the killed, 
as he had seen me fall in front of the fort. I told him I had fallen 
over a stump and came out of the fight all right, and was ready for 
duty. I was then put on picket." 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was pretty 
Avell scattered after being repulsed, and it was not fully re- 
assembled until the next morning, when it was put to work 
changing the abattis around Fort Burnham, and then to 
building earthworks to the left and rear of the fort, going 
in and aroiuid the fort at dusk, where it remained under fire 
of the enemy's batteries until the next morning, October i. 

Among the wounded was Cyrus C. Trump, of Battery 



112 CHAPIN S FARM. 

C. He was a member of Company C, in the Provisional 
Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, and by gallantly 
fighting- his way out managed to escape capture at Mine 
Run, Cold Harbor and "The Crater Fight," at Petersburg, 
although being one of the smallest and youngest "men" in 
the regiment. 

The Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, 
Serial 87, p. 135, gives the losses of the Second Pennsyha- 
nia Heavy Artillery for September 29-30, 1864, as follows : 

Killed, 2 officers and 12 men ; wounded, 2 officers and 83 men ; 
captured or missing, 5 officers and 133 men. Total, 237. 

About 9 o'clock the morning of October ist. 1864. the 
enemy was discovered to be forming for an attack upon the 
fort, and about the same time the Second Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery was relieved by some colored troops armed 
with "sixteen shooters," the Second Pennsylvania Heavy 
Artillery filing out of the fort into the breastworks that it 
had thrown up to the left of the fort, in front of vvhich was 
a field of standing corn, details of men from the several 
Batteries being sent forward to cut it down for some dis- 
tance in front of the regiment. 

At 10 o'clock the enemy w^as seen advancing over 
the brow of a hill in front of the fort, and the fort opened 
fire upon them, quickly putting them to flight. 

A second attempt to retake the fort was made about 
12 o'clock, noon, the charging column being three deep; 
but it fared even worse than at the first assault. 

At 3 o'clock the same day, in triple column (six men 
deep) still another attempt was made to recapture the fort. 
This time the fort withheld its fire until the enemy was 
about midway of the fort and the hill behind which the 
Confederate lines were formed, when, at the firing of a 
signal gun on the right of the fort, artillery and musketry 
was poured into the assaulting columns with such an effect 
tliat barely a square foot of ground could be seen without 
a killed or wounded Confederate thereon. The carnage 
was dreadful, yet many of the attacking men reached the 
abatis in front of the fort before being placed Jiors dc com- 
bat. The enemv's "loss in these three assaults was about 



CHAPIN S FARM. II3 

five thousand killed, wounded and prisoners, while the 
Union loss was comparatively very small. 

In neither of these assaults was the Second Artillery 
directly engaged, yet some of its men in the pits nearest the 
fort, animated by a desire to be in it, went into the fort 
and assisted in repulsing the enemy, some working at the 
guns, while others used their Springfield rifles, the loss in 
the regiment being but one killed and three wounded. 

General Robert E. Lee and Ewell were present when 
the assaults were made, and twelve brigades of Confederates 
took part therein. The assaulting columns were under the 
command of General Robert H. Anderson, who was among 
the seriously wounded. 

General Cecil Clay, who then commanded the Fifty- 
eighth Pennsylvania, gives the following account of the 
bloody repulse of these desperate assaults : 

"The enemy advanced in column and had to charge over a slightly descending 
ground to reach our fort. The division came on in fine order — officers with their 
swords drawn, arms glittering and battle flags flying. As soon as it came 
within range our men began firing, and packed as they were in pits, with the men 
in the rear loading their pieces and handing them to their comrades in front, 
kept up a tremendous fire, before which nothing could stand, let alone advance. 
When the fire opened the men were all shooting low — 'an amiable weakness' — and 
a long line of puffs of dust plainly to be seen, thrown up some distance on the 
hither side of the advancing column, marked the impact of the balls. Presently 
the head of the oncoming mass reached the line of fire, and then! 

It seems cruel now, thinking of it in cold blood, that men should have 
exulted in the slaughter of their fellows, but the necessities of war as carried on — 
an offensive warfare on our part — had almost invariably made us the attacking 
party. Now we were on the defensive and had a chance to retaliate, and we 
did it effectually. Away went organization, down went men, ofiicers and battle 
flags; no formation could stand that withering fire. Officers sprang to the front, 
flags waved and the crowd, for such it soon became, struggled to get up to our 
works; but there was no standing the racket, and the whole mass fell back' in 
confusion. 

A second charge met the same fate, but, animated by the presence of Gen. 
Lee, the division made still another attempt, but only to break to the rear again, 
thoroughly used up. Several hundred prisoners were taken and a number of 
battle flags, while the ground was covered with killed and wounded. We had 
made a great slaughter, and Fort . Harrison was still ours, not to be again 
endangered. The loss on our side was small, and chiefly attributable to the fire of 
the Confederate gunboats in the river. Gen. Stannard, our division commander, 
lost an arm, and there were, perhaps, a hundred other casualties." 

Many incidents of this engagement might be written 
worthy of note, but the following letter of Lieutenant Por- 
terfield. Battery D, gives an idea of its aftermath : 

Philadelphia, May 14, 1904. 
Comrade Ward : 

I notice that many of the boys have written to you their recol- 
lections of different events coming to their notice during the "War 
of the Rebellion." I well remember the ist of October, 1864, when 



114 CHAPIN S FARM. 

the Rebels tried to recapture Fort Harrison. They formed under cover 
of the woods in rear of the fort, bot which now had become the front. 
Between them and the fort was an open space ; at the foot of this space 
lay a small ravine, covered with scraggy underbrush, then an incline 
leading up to the fort. They never crossed the ravine ; had they 
done so very few of them would have lived to tell the story, for the 
guns from the fort would have swept them into eternity. 

After their repulse, for three days they refused to acknowledge 
a flag of truce for the purpose of burying their dead, who lay in the 
hot sun and rain; finally, however, they gave way, and I was ordered 
out to take charge of a detail to assist in the work. Its memories 
are with me yet; the sight and stench was something awful; they 
lay in all sorts of positions — sitting, laying and kneeling, piled to- 
gether and separate. There was the frame of what had been once a 
barn, where many of them had sought shelter. Scores of them found 
death there. I remember one poor fellow whom we found still alive. 
A minnie ball had ploughed across his face, taking both eyes away; 
his condition was sickening to look at; he was conscious, however, 
and told me he belonged to an Alabama regiment. He begged piti- 
fully for water. We brought him into our lines, but the doctor said 
he had but a short time to live. There were very many greater fights, 
and greater numbers killed, during the war, but never was more 
courage displayed on any field than those men showed in their effort 
to recapture Fort Harrison. It was a hopeless charge, but it made 
defeat glorious and Chaffins Farm immortal. 

THOS. PORTERFIELD. 

October 3d to 5th the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Ar- 
tillery was engaged in building breastworks and batteries 
from Fort Burnham to Fort Brady, near the Dutch Gap 
Canal, and, at night, details were made for picket along 
the corn field extending from Fort Burnham to Fort Brady. 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, from some 
unexplained cause, received no rations from time of leaving 
Bermuda Hundred Front on the night of September 28th, 
until the"6th of October, the men subsisting on the dry and 
parched corn gathered in the field in front of the breast- 
works. The men would punch holes, with their bayonets 
in their tin plates, and grate the corn (which was somewhat 
like adamant) to make batter cakes. With no salt, it was 
almost tasteless, yet the men declared it was genuine "John- 
ny cake." 

From the 5th to the 9th of October the regiment was 
not engaged in anytliing noteworthy, nothing except picket 
and guard duty being recjuired of it, Init on the Qth it built 
a large battery in the breastworks to the left of Fort Burn- 



CHAPIN S FARM. 



115 



ham, about a quarter of a mile distant, in which was placed 
ten cannon, including two thirty-two pound Parrot guns. 

T]ie weather ever since September 29th was alternately 
showers, heavy rains, sunshine and frosts, and the men, 
l)eing without tents, blankets, etc., suffered considerable 
therefrom. 

Nothing new presented itself to the Second Pennsyl- 
vania Heavv Artiherv until tl"":. nth of October, when in 




/ 



CAPT. JOSEPH W. WINGER, 

Battery D. 

the early morning of that day a party of Confederates de- 
serted to the pickets of the regiment. All the deserters 
more or less strongly denounced the Confederacy, and inti- 
mated three out of every five Confederate soldiers were anx- 
iously awaiting an opportune moment to desert. 

These expressions of discontent in the Confederate 
ranks tended somewhat to stimulate the men of the Sec- 
ond Pennsylvania Pleavy Artillery, believing which inclined 



ii6 chapin's farm. 

them to the hope that the days of the Southern Confederacy 
were about numbered. 

The regiment moved farther to the right, connecting 
thereon with Fort Burnham, in the early morning of Octo- 
ber I2th, and details were made and sent to assist in digging 
"Butler's Dutch Gap" Canal, an occupation which was not 
eagerly sought by any of the troops, owing to the immense 
number of shells daily thrown therein by the enemy. 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was called 
up to the breastworks on the following morning, October 
13th, in readiness to move forward, but was soon thereafter 
commanded to "rest." The troops on the extreme right of 
the line, however, had a brush with the enemy, capturing 
two small forts, several guns and a few prisoners. 

On the 19th of October, 1864, cheering in the Con- 
federate lines was heard, followed by an artillery salute, 
which, shortly after, their pickets said, was for Jubal Early, 
who had won a great victor}^ over General Sheridan. 

Towards evening of that same da}^ cheering was heard 
along the Union line, descending from the right, each suc- 
cessive command taking it up in turn, the Second Pennsyl- 
vania Heavy Artillery participating therein, not knowing 
for what reason until the guns of the Union troops belched 
forth with "shotted salute," when along the line came the 
shout : " 'Little Phil' knocked the stuffing out of 'Jubilee' 
Early!" 

The loth New York Heavy Artillery, which had been 
with the 2d Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery from Port Royal 
to Cold Harbor, thence to Petersburg, where it left August 
13th, was remembered by this regiment as having been sent 
to Sheridan, and many expressions of commendation were 
made, only to be informed later that "The Tenth wasn't in 
it," it being on duty guarding sheep and wagons at the 
time of the battle of Cedar Creek. 

On October 20th, 1864, inspection was held in the 
morning and in the afternoon some of the men of the late 
"Provisional vSecond" were mustered for back pay services 
hi that regiment. 

The following day the Second Pennsylvania Heavy 
Artillery participated in a grand review, and later in the 



CHAPIN S FARM. IIJ 

day were called into the earthworks, but soon dismissed 
again. 

The "Provisional boys" of the regiment were paid off 
on the 22d of October, 1864, and the men of the "Old 
Regiment" were guests of the former, who spent the balance 
of the day "treating" the latter at Sutler Wood's, which 
notable, accompanied by his smiling lieutenant, Al. Berger, 
never failed to show up when the boys had money. 

The usual routine of duty only was required of the 
Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, such as picket and 
guard details, until the afternoon of October 23rd, when 
inspection was had, and in the evening the men's knapsacks, 
tents, etc., which were left at Bermuda Front on the 28th 
of September, were returned to them, and the tents pitched 
in rear of the breastworks to the left of Fort Burnham. 
Heavy frosts at night were the rule about this time, so the 
tents and extra clothing were a Godsend at that time. 

The following day, October 24th, a convicted deserter 
and "bounty jumper" passed through the camp, under 
guard, with a placard on his breast noting who he was, and 
on his back was one defining the sentence— -in addition to 
being paraded before the troops — "three years' imprison- 
ment at hard labor." 

On Wednesday, the 26th of October, 1864, the Second 
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery moved still further to the 
right, garrisoning Fort Burnham — other troops moving to 
the right and left of it ; and the picket line was strengthened 
in the evening, evidently anticipating an attack. Nothing, 
however, occurred until the following afternoon, when the 
enemy opened an artillery fire on the fort and to the right 
of the line, which was responded to by the fort and batteries 
nearby. Two or three men of the Second Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery were wounded in the fort. 

The cannonading on the right terminated in the enemy 
advancing on the Tenth Corps troops near New Market 
road, and succeeding in capturing two or three thousand 
men of that Corps. 

In this fiasco. Battery G had two men wounded. 

The most amusing part of the cannonading was the 
flight of the regiment's sutler, Wood. He had six mules 



ii8 chapin's farm. 

to his wagon, which had l:)een driven pretty close up to the 
fort, and was about to open up for business when the ene- 
my began firing shells. The first one had barely exploded 
before Wood started to "retreat, "in good order, but when 
two and three at a time was sent over he broke, and ran his 
mule team over the field for all it was worth, the wagon 
wheels striking stones, stumps, etc., caused the contents of 
the wagon to fall out, much to the pleasure of the troops, 
who ran and picked up the cakes, canned goods, cheese, etc. 
Wood afterwards claimed he made an "orderly retreat," 
but tliose who witnessed it said it was a genuine "skee- 
daddle." 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery vacated 
Fort Burnham on the morning of the 29th of October, other 
troops taking its place, and, after some manoeuvring, 
again entered the breastworks just to the left of the fort. 

Captain McClure, of Battery F, who had been absent 
from the regiment on leave since September 25th, returned 
to the regiment this day, and it was rumored that he had 
been commissioned Colonel of the regiment b}' Governor 
Curtin. 

The following day, Sunday, was very cjuiet. Chaplain 
Hunt preaching in the morning and afternoon, a large num- 
ber of the Second Artillery and many from other regiments, 
attending the services. 

The next day, October 31st, the regiment was inspected 
and mustered for pay, many of the Batteries having squad 
and company drills toward evening. 

After inspection it was announced that Captain W'il- 
liam M. McClure, of Battery F, had been promoted to Colo- 
nel of the regiment, which gave general satisfaction to 
every man connected therewith, for Captain McClure was 
well known and liked throughout the regiment, and was 
considered a very brave, big-hearted and highly qualified 
officer, as well as being a gentleman under all circumstances. 

Tuesday, November, ist, 1864, was very quiet, drilling 
being the only duty performed by the Second Pennsylvania 
Heavy Artillery, and on the following day three days' 
rations were served the men towards evening, with orders 
to "pack up." No move, however, was made until the next 



CHAPIN S FARM. II9 

day, November 3rd, the regiment in the meantime being 
held in readiness, when, instead of going to Newbern, as 
was anticipated by the men, two BattaHons, the First and 
Second, moved farther to the left of the line, occupying 
two or three batteries in addition to the breastworks between 
them. ' Rain descended during the whole night of the 2nd, 
and, after enduring it some time, with no indications of 
moving soon, the men unpacked their tents and blankets 
to use as protection from the rain. 

After the two mentioned Battalions went to the left 
of the line, the Third Battalion again pitched tents where it 
stood, and nothing worthy of note occurred in the regiment 
until Tuesday, November 8th, when the regiment held an 
election (as did other Pennsylvania troops thereabouts) 
for President, the candidates being President Abraham 
Lincoln ("old Abe") and General George B. McClelian 
("Little Mac") The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artil- 
lery gave 167 majority for President Lincoln. 

The major portion of the votes cast by the regiment 
were those of young men, who thus enjoyed their first suf- 
frage as an American citizen — voting on age — and who 
manifested great interest in the matter. The polling was 
done by the men at headquarters of each Battery respective- 
ly, and the majorities in each were all in favor of Presi- 
dent Lincoln, "not one precinct for 'Little Mac,' " said Lieu- 
tenant Daniels, of Battery D, who electioneered for "Old 
Abe." 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery continued 
to occupy the same positions along the line from the 3rd of 
November until the i8th, and followed the usual routine 
duty — drilling, inspection, picket details daily, etc., except 
on the loth of the month, when details were sent to assist in 
digging wells around Fort Burnham, in anticipation of the 
enemy attempting to undermine and blow it up. The 
weather during this time was very undesirable, varying in 
rain and frosts principally. 

Colonel Fairchild left the Brigade on November 5th, 
1864, first turning the command thereof to Colonel Mc-'- 
Clure. 



I20 CHAPIN S FARM. 

On the night of Thursday, November i/th, about 12 
o'clock, picket firing, followed by booming of cannon and 
rattle of musketry, was heard in the direction of Bermuda 
Front, and the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was 
called into line at the breastworks on the left of Fort F.urn- 
ham, where it remained until after i o'clock, at which time 
the men were given the command "rest !" About 4 o'clock a. 
m., November i8th, the regiment was again called up, and 
Batteries D, E, F, G, H, I and M, in light marching order, 
were marched, double quick, under command of Captain 
Strawbridge, across the James river, via Varina road and 
the pontoon bridge at Aiken's Landing, to Bermuda Hun- 
dred Front, where it was learned the 105th and 107th P. V. 
had lost the picket line, with two redoubts — Carpenter and 
Dutton — being the cause of the firing heard at Chapin's 
Farm. 

About 12 o'clock that day (November i8th), with 
other troops, the Battalion advanced on the enemy, who 
after a short, but stubborn, resistance, was driven back, and 
the lost works were consequently recaptured, the Bat- 
talion's loss being very slight. 

At sundown the enemy made an attempt to retake the 
works, but the engagement was not very severe, resulting 
in a decided defeat of the Confederates. 

After the fight was over, about dusk, a heavy cold rain 
storm set in, continuing two days, during which the men 
suffered severely, the second day the rain freezing as it 
reached the ground, and the men were required to stand 
against the breastworks, without any shelter whatever in 
almost a foot of water, their tents, blankets and knapsacks 
having been left at Chapin's Farm. 

The position of the Battalion was to the right of the 
line, and it occupied Redoubts Dutton, McConihe and Car- 
penter, until the 20th, when it was relieved by some U. S. 
colored troops. Sharpshooting, as experienced at Peters- 
burg by the regiment, was kept up for a few days, ceasing 
when the colored troops left the front. 

Excepting the cold disagreeable rain, which, at inter- 
vals, continued until the 23rd, the Battalion enjoyed a com- 
paratively easy time in the works, only the usual routine, 



CHAPIN S FARM. 



121 



which included picket details daily, being required ; but on 
the date mentioned, the knapsacks, which were left at 
Chapin's Farm by the Batteries that left there on the i8th 
were returned to the men, who were very glad to get some- 
thing to protect them from the weather. The men were 
relieved from duty in the front works, and retired to a 
position in rear thereof, near the James river, where they 
pitched their tents and went into camp. 

Thursday, November 24th, 1864, the day set apart by 
President Lincoln as Thanksgiving Day, found the regi- 
ment enjoying clear, but cold weather, with tents to protect 
them therefrom, a supply of hardtack and an opportunity to 




REDOUBT McCONIHE, 

Bermuda Frout. 



procure some decent water to drink, for all of which, as 
Chaplain Hunt said in addresseing the men, "we are very 
thankful " Rations of whiskey were served the men at 
noon and at retreat. 

The next day, November 25th, the Battalion was given 
"a big feed." Turkeys, chickens, ducks, etc., kindly con- 
tributed by citizens of Pennsylvania, reached the regiment 
and were made into "chicken pot-pie," as the men termed 
it, i. e., stewed, with some broken-up hardtack, corn meal 
and onions therein. Apples, nuts, oranges, etc., were also 
liberally distributed throughout the command. 



122 CHAPIN S FARM. 

The part of the regiment at Chapin's Farm sent greet- 
ings to that at Bermuda Fronts, in these words : "We'uns 
eat turk, and wish yoii'ns could jine us." The ''Bermuda 
Renegades," as they were dubbed, replied: "Turkey, chicken 
and duck tickle our palates and rejoice, with you, in having 
'a big feed.' '' 

On the following day, November 26th, the Batteries, 
except Battery M, in camp at Bermuda Front, marched back 
to Chapin's Farm, and were again assigned positions be- 
tween Batteries 2 and 3 in the breastworks facing the James 
river, a location where very little fear of an attack would 
be made by the enemy. While here, wnth little to do, the 
men availed themselves of the opportunity to visit Fort 
Brady and the Dutch Gap Canal daily. 

Colonel Fairchild, who had been absent on leave, re- 
turned this day and assumed command of the Brigade to 
which the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was at- 
tached, relieving Colonel McClure, who again took com- 
mand of his regiment. 

The regiment had inspection of arms in the morning 
of November 27th, 1864, and dress parade in the evening, 
followed next day with drilling, artillery as well as infantry, 
using the guns in Batteries No. 2 and 3. 

The day following the men were kept in line behind 
the breastworks anticipating a move across the James river 
again, as heavy firing was heard in the direction of Bermuda 
Front, the heavy guns of Fort Darling and the Howlet 
House Battery, being almost in a direct line in front of the 
Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, could be heard very 
distinctly. At sundown the men were permitted to leave 
their positions in the breastworks. 

It is well to mention that the breastworks were never 
wholly vacated, as guards were stationed about every ten 
or fifteen feet, to give alarm in case the pickets began firing, 
the men's tents being pitched about twenty feet only to the 
rear of the breastworks. 

This same day, November 28th, Lieutenant William 
H. Wetherbee and fifty men of Battery M were detached 
from Brigadier General Graham's headquarters at Bermuda 



CHAPIN S FARM. 1 23 

Front and sent to Redoubt Dutton, where they remained 
until January nth, 1865. 

General inspection was held in the morning of the 30th 
of November, 1864, and dress parade in the evening, the 
weather being very fine and suitable to such purposes, fol- 
lowed next day with drills, in the morning and afternoon, 
by Batteries. 



124 



CHAPTER VIII. 

RETURN TO BERMUDA HUNDRED FRONT. 

On December 2nd, 1864, heavy cannonading was again 
heard going on at Bermuda Fronts, in the morning, and at 
2 o'clock p. m., the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery 
again marched over there, where a very brisk picket fire 
was carried on after dark, the regiment taking position in 
rear of the breastworks at a point midway of the James and 
Appomatox rivers, remaining there during the night, laying 
on arms after the picket firing ceased. 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was here 
attached to the Brigade commanded by General Graham. 

At daylight of December 3rd, 1864, the Second Penn- 
sylvania Heavy Artillery moved to a postion farther to the 
left, some of the men occupying quarters vacated by other 
troops and others pitching their tents. In the afternoon a 
brisk cannonading was carried on for about one hour by the 
batteries in the immediate locality of the regiment, but no 
casualties occurring therein. 

On the 4th of December, 1864, Colonel McClure was 
assigned to command the Provisional Brigade, composed of 
the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, 115th New York 
and 62d Ohio regiments, and moved it to the extreme 
left of the Bermuda Front; Captain Strawbridge again 
commanded the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery. A 
few days later the Brigade was designated "First Brigade, 
Infantry Division. Army of the James." 

Among the Confederate troops in front of the Second 
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery at this time was the nth 
Virginia, which regiments faced each other on several oc- 
casions at different points along the line, including Peters- 



BERMUDA HUNDRED. 



125 



burg, Chapin's Farm and at Bermuda Front prior to the 
Chapin's Farm fight. 

On December 4th, pretty much all the colored troops 
were withdrawn from Bermuda Fronts, and the line of 
works, from the James to the Appomatox was occupied by 
the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery and the Tenth 
New York Heavy Artillery, the latter known by themselves 
as "Lincoln's Pets," as narrated in Captain Webb's history 
of that regiment. 

It is well enough to here remark that President Lin- 
coln's pets were the whole L^nion Army, no one organiza- 




REDOUBT BUTTON, 

Bermuda Front. 

tion composing it being more of a pet of his than another, 
and no one regiment received greater favors from him than 
he would gladly bestow upon all if possible so to do. The 
writer, in justice to President Lincoln, and every military 
organization composing the Union Army, during the Civil 
War alike, verily believes, and President Lincoln's acts 
confirm the belief, that he loved one and all, "with malice 
toward none, with charity for all," and Comrade Webb can- 
not show wherein President Lincoln showed greater favors 
to the Tenth New York than were shown the Second Penn- 
sylvania Heavy Artillery while in the Defences of Wash- 



126 BERMUDA HUNDRED. 

ington, or as before remarked, that President Lincoln would 
not be glad to bestow' upon any other body of troops. 

The two regiments above mentioned were stationed — 
the Second Pennsylvania's left resting on the Appomatox 
river at the "Crows' Nest Lookout" and extending to Re- 
doubts Dutton, McConihe and Carpenter on the right, the 
Tenth New York's left resting thereon and extending to 
the James river. The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artil- 
lery occupied the redoubts. 

After the departure of the colored troops, picket firing, 
as well as sharpshooting, at Bermuda Front became a thing 
of the past, and the men of both sides resumed their former 
practice of trading — Coffee, sugar, etc., for tobacco — along 
the picket line, and conversing one with the other. The fol- 
lowing is an extract from one of S. M. Coursey's letters to 
the Watsontown Record and Star, showing how intimate 
the two lines became in the winter of 1864-65: 

"The nights were getting quite cool and one night while on picket 
I burned my boots so badly they were quite worthless. We remained 
here until near Christmas, when we were sent back to Bermuda Front 
to retake the picket line that had been taken by the rebels from the 
one year regiments. 

I may not have the exact time, but I know it was in cold weather. 
We marched out and took our old line, the rebels vacating. I was 
on the extreme left of the regiment, where the Sixty-second Ohio 
joined us. Two of the Ohio boys were with me on the post. We 
were ordered not to build fires, but we kept a roaring blaze. The 
officer of the day was one of the one year men, and when he came 
along he ordered us to put out the fire. One of our boys told him 
that we had been on picket before and always had fire and never had 
a picket line captured. At this he rode on and we kept our fire all 
night. 

To my left one of the Johnnies called to one of our men to loan 
him an axe to cut some wood as they were nearly frozen. The axe 
was thrown over into the rebel line and was shortly after returned 
in good order." 

About this time the regiment was busily engaged in 
building winter quarters, or rather improving those built by 
the one year men — the log huts being enlarged to hold six 
men, instead of four, fire places were built in one end, with 
mud and stone for material. The huts were made "three- 
story," that is, three bunks, one above the other, were con- 



BERMUDA HUNDRED 127 

striicted by the adding- of two logs to the heighth of the 
huts. Shelter tents were used for roofing. 

From the 29th of September to about the ist of De- 
cember, 1864, the weather would vary almost daily — rain, 
hot, cold, snow and frost — and a great part of the time the 
men were exposed to it, w^ithout shelter of any kind, so 
these huts were considered palaces by the men, and though 
the picket duty required of them was excessive, owing to 
the few troops stationed between the two rivers, yet, when 
relieved therefrom for a few hours, they had a "home" to 
go to, and highly appreciated it. 

Every favorable day drills, inspections and dress pa- 
rades were indulged in by the regiment. 

The usual routine of camp and picket duty, without any 
incident to deserve special mention, continued until the 
night of December 17th, 1864, when the enemy opened fire 
on some colored troops who had been placed on picket at 
the right of the line on the James river, and the Second 
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was formed in line behind the 
breastworks in anticipation of an attack, but the firing hav- 
ing ceased, returned to quarters after about one hour's time. 

A skirmish was had by troops on the picket line at the 
James river on the 23rd of December, cannonading con- 
tinuing throughout the night, and the following day the 
Confederate gunboats on the James attempted to descend 
the river, one of which was blown up by a Union battery, 
all of which time the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery 
was in line behind the breastworks. 

On Christmas Day, December 25th, special rations 
were cooked and served the regiment, among which were 
cabbage, ham, potatoes, onions, fresh bread, butter, cheese, 
beans and pickles. 

Many of the men not on duty went to the right of the 
line at James river, to see the bulkhead of "Butler's Dutch 
Gap Canal" blown up, w^hich they termed "a fizzle." 

The following day a shotted salute was fired along the 
whole line, in honor of Sherman's victory at Savannah. 

From the 25th to the 30th of December, 1864, the rou- 
tine duty of one day on picket and one in camp was the 



128 BERMUDA HUNDRED. 

order of service by the men; inspection and muster for 
pay took place on the 31st, rain, with a mixture of snow, 
descending all day, and, at intervals, continuing throughout 
the night and the following day. 

At 9 o'clock a. m., on January 2nd, 1865, the Second 
Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was called out and formed in 
line, then marched to the right to a point behind the breast- 
works in rear of Redoubt Button, where with other troops 
of the Division, three sides of a hollow square was formed, 
the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery occupying the ex:=- 
treme left of the line. 

At 10 o'clock (the Division being at "parade rest") 
came Sergeant William G. Johnson and a "bounty-jumper," 
with Chaplain Hunt marching between them, they being 
preceded by the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery's 
Band and a platoon of Battery M, and followed by another 
platoon of the same Battery and a caisson with two coffins 
thereon. The procession entered the square at the extreme 
right and marched in front of the troops to the left, the 
band playing a dead mrch. Then leaving the band and 
caisson and placing the coffin in front of two open graves, 
located midway between the right and left flanks of the 
troops, the convicted men were seated on the coffins and 
blindfolded by Lieut. Barber, of Battery M, who had com- 
mand of the executioners, being the two platoons from Bat- 
tery M mentioned above, the muskets of whom were loaded 
and stacked by officers at Division headquarters the night 
before ; one-half of the arms had blank and the other half 
ball cartridges, so none of the firing party knew whether 
they had the ball or blank cartridge. The orders were read 
reciting the crime of the accused and the finding of the 
court martial, together with the approval from higher au- 
thority, Vvith a warning to all soldiers of the danger of fol- 
lowing such an example. The signal was given to the first 
platoon to fire and the doomed men were shot and sank 
down, each on his own coffin. They were buried where 
they were shot and the troops marched back to their camps. 

Johnston, a former Sergeant in Battery D, of the 
Second Pennsyhania Heavy Artillery, who was transferred 



BERMUDA HUNDRED. 



129 



to the "Invalid Corps" on account of physical disabilities, 
and who retained his rank therein as sergeant, had command 
of a squad that guarded deserters in transit to and from 
Fort Monroe, and at a court martial it was in evidence that 
he had allowed bounty-jumpers to escape by payment of 
sums of money. One of these men, who was recaptured 
"squealed" on Johnston, saying he paid him fifty dollars to 
permit him to escape. Both were condemned to be shot, 
after the trial by the court martial. Johnson walked erect 
until he arrived in front of his own regiment, wlien, as soon 




CORP. JOSEPH H. MARTZ, 
Battery D. 

as his eyes caught sight of its yellow regimental flag, he 
dropped his head and did not again raise it until after his 
eyes were blindfolded and he was seated on his coffin. At 
the first fire Johnson was killed outright; he was shot 
through the head and heart, wliile the bounty-jumper was 
shot everywhere but in a vital spot, and lingered a short 



130 BERMUDA HUNDRED. 

time. It was, evidently, intended on the part of the execu- 
tioners. 

The regiment, on the fourth day of January, 1865, be- 
came a veteran regiment, its first term of enHstment having 
expired and a sufficient number of its officers and men hav- 
ing re-enhsted for an additional three years, it continued its 
existence as the "Second Pennsylvania Veteran Heavy Ar- 
tillery.'' Many officers and enlisted men, however, severed 
their connection with the regiment when their terms of en- 
listment expired, and it became almost a daily occurrence 
to see men shaking hands and bidding each other good-bye, 
one of whom was Joseph P. Zebley, of Battery E, whose 
letter to the writer in answer to one for information as to 
his last days of service follows : 

Philadelphia September 30, 1903. 
Comrade Ward : — 

The /th or 8th of January, 1865, was my last night on picket duty 
at Bermuda Front. There was a 6-foot reb got inside of our vidette 
line ; he was sent in advance to fmd our men. I got him, and sent him 
to the rear. They missed him, and he told me that they were going 
to flank us on the right and come in on the left, and capture the 
whole line, but they did not do it, and I was very glad of it, for I was 
mustered out on the loth at Gen. Butler's headquarters, but Gen. Ord 
in command, Butler having been relieved about that time, for some 
cause. On the 9th it rained very hard, but I crossed the pontoons 
all right on the loth and got mustered out and started back for camp. 
The freshet in the river had sent the pontoons down to City Point, 
where the gunboats got them and brought them back. I had to wait 
all day. knee-deep in mud. before I could get back to camp. How- 
ever I got there, went around among the boys, and had a good time 
shaking hands, saying good-bye, etc. I certainly did feel bad at leav- 
ing them, but 1 had had enough of the "glories" of war, and was 
buoyed up with prospects of getting home alive to see the dear ones 
I had left three years before, which I did. I can't write my feelings, 
but you can guess them, for you have been there yourself. 
Yours in F., C. and L., 

JOSEPH P. ZEBLEY." 

Battery A was relieved from picket duty at midnight 
of January 6th, to accompany Gen. Terry's expedition to 
Fort Fisher. The men were very elated at the prospect of 
"cocking cannon" again, and more especially as they were 
given to understand their services were required "on board 
vessels, where marching is unknown and good quarters to 
eat and sleep are provided." However, they did not find it 



BERMUDA HUNDRED. 131 

SO, as "the vessel was over-crowded and the only grub en- 
joyed was the hard-tack and pork supplied at Bermuda 
Front before starting." 

The usual routine of camp life, then continued until 
the 14th of January, when the regiment joined in dress 
parade with the Brigade, at which the farewell address of 
General Butler was read to the command. 

A salute was fired, on the 17th of January, 
1865, in honor of the capture of Fort Fisher, in which 
Battery A, of the Second Pennsylvania Veteran Heavy 
Artillery was detached from the regiment to garrison. 
Nothing further occurred at Bermuda Front, except drills, 
dress parades, inspections, picket duty, etc., until the after- 
noon of the 23rd, when the regiment was called in line on 
account of picket firing on the right and shelling going on 
at the James river, which was kept up throughout the night. 
In the early morning following the enemy's gunboats at- 
temped to descend the river, one of which was blown up 
by a shell from the large Federal mortar at Battery 3 enter- 
ing its magazine ; the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, 
however, did not participate further than hold itself in readi- 
ness to repel an attack in its front, which was anticipated 
but did not occur. 

A Sergeant of Battery H was injured the following 
day by a gun carriage breaking his leg. Some 300 men of 
the regiment were hauling a seige gun to the James river, 
when, on descending a hill, the prolong parted, the men 
thereby losing control of the carriage with the foregoing 
result. Two or three other men were slightly injured. 

About this time it was a nightly occurrence for many 
Confederate deserters to enter the Union lines at Bermuda 
Fronts, some nights over thirty would be received along the 
picket line 

On the night of February i, 1865, the enemy advanced 
on the picket line held by Battery M, but were repulsed 
with the loss of several men. Battery M's loss being three 
haversacks, two canteens and one gun. 

Battery inspections only were the deviations from 
picket duty until the night of February 13th, when some 
picket firing was indulged in, bringing the regiment to the 



132 BERMUDA HUNDRED. 

l)reastworks, where it remained until after daylight of the 
14th. 

Another sortie was made on the picket line about i 
o'clock on the night of February i6th. 1865, the enemy 
being repulsed with considerable loss, many of those killed 
and wounded lay in front of the picket line next morning, 
several of whom were among the abatis, showing a deter- 
mined effort to break the line. The attack was made by 
500 picked men of IMahone's Confederate troops, who 
formed in the ravine between the two lines, and were not 
disco\ered by the videttes of the Second Pennsylvania Vet- 
eran Heavy Artillery until almost within twenty feet of 
them, when the alarm was gi\'en and deadly volleys poured 
into it by Batteries D and E, in front of whom the attack 
was made. The gunboat Commodore Perry, on the Ap- 
pomatox river did good service in firing shot and shell up 
the ravine, many of the enemy among whom was a major 
and a captain being killed and wounded thereby. Some 
100 prisoners were taken, and picks and shovels galore were 
picked up the next day. The intention of the enemy, evi- 
dently, was to capture the picket line and Redoubt Dutton, 
then advance their line between that and the Union breast- 
works, which would enal)le them to place a fort or battery 
in a position to control the Dutch Gap Canal. 

The Redoubts McConihe, Carpenter and Dutton about 
this time were garrisoned alternately by the several Bat- 
teries of the Second Pennsylvania Veteran Heavy Artillery, 
a Battery at each redoubt — each Battery remaining there a 
week at a time. 

Except ]:)icket firing by the enemy, caused by Confed- 
erates deserting nearly e\'ery night, nothing of a noteworthy 
character transpired until the 28th of the month, when the 
Second Pennsylvania Veteran Heavy Artillery mustered for 
two months' pay, and dress parade of the Brigade took place 
in the afternoon, on the plateau in rear of the "Crow's Nest 
Lookout," and special divine services were held by Chaplain 
Hunt, immediately after the dress parade on the same 
ground. 

On the fifth of March, 1865, '^ special inspection of the 
Second Pennsylvania Veteran Heavy Artillery was made. 



BERMUDA HUx\DRED. 1 33 

and the result was the men were furnished with new cloth- 
ing a few days later. 

During the night of IMarch 5th, sixteen Confederates 
came into the line occupied by Battery G, bringing seventeen 
rifles, one being that of the sergeant in charge of the scjuad, 
who was left asleep at the picket post from which they de- 
serted. 

A sergeant of the Tenth New York Heavy Artillery, 
who was taken sick on the picket line, was carried to the 
Point of Rocks Hospital early in the morning of March 6th, 
\yhere he was delivered of a "bouncing broth of a boy," 
as "Jimmy" Halin, of Battery D, termed it, and for the 




REDOUBT CARPENTER, 

Bermuda Frout. 

next three or four days the event created as great a cjues- 
tion among the two regiments as to its parental relations 
as did "how old is Ann?" among the people in 1903. 

During these days and nights of comparative idleness 
in the regiment. Chaplain Hunt was ever on the alert to get 
"my boys" to gether in his larg'e service tent, and either de- 
liver a sermon or give fatherly advice and comfort to his 
congregations. e\ents which the writer verily believes ever 
remained in fond remembrance by those who were privi- 
leged to enjoy them. 



134 BERMUDA HUNDRED. 

On the 7th of March, 1865, Colonel ]\IcCkire presented 
his resignation to General Orel, which was accepted, and 
the order for his discharge was received next day, when he 
turned the regiment over to command of Major Benjamin 

F. Winger. 

RESIGNATION OF COLONEL McCLURE. 

"Hd. Qrs. Provisional Brigade, Defences of Bermuda Hundred, 
Army of the James, Va. 

February 28, 1865. 
Lieut. Col. E. W. Smith, A. A. G. 

Department of Virginia. 
Colonel : — 

I have the honor to submit the following for consideration : 
On the 4th of January, 1862, I was mustered into the service of 
the United States as Captain, Batt. "F," 2d Pa. Art. In September last 
a leave of absence was granted me for the purpose of arranging regi- 
mental affairs (which had for a long time been in much confusion) 
at Harrisburg, Pa. Having performed that duty and procured a Col- 
onel's commission for Major Anderson, then commanding the regi- 
ment, I made arrangements for entering business in civil life when my 
term of service should expire. 

Unfortunately, Major Anderson was killed on Chaffin's Farm, 
on the 29th of September, leaving the regiment, then having an A. A. 

G. officer, to be commanded by a Captain. All the officers entitled to 
a discharge declared their intention to leave the service before the 
loth of February, 1865, making a complete reorganization of the 
regiment necessary. By unanimous request of the officers present, 
I accepted the position of Colonel for the purpose of reorganizing 
the regiment, and was mustered in on the 30th of October, 1864, 
intending to resign when I could do so without detriment to the ser- 
vice. Since that time 26 officers have been discharged, and 32 mustered 
in, which, with the recommendations awaiting action, completes the 
reorganization. Having performed my duty to the service, I now, 
very respectfully, tender my resignation and, hoping that it will be 
accepted in order that I may be enabled to fulfil private obligations 
which / am in honor bound to respect, I am, 

Very respectfully, 

Your Obedient Servant, 

W. M. McCLURE, 

Col. 2d Pa. Art." 

RESOLUTION OF REGRET AT COLONEL McCLURE'S RES- 
IGNATION. 

Head Qrs. 2d Penn. Veteran Artillery, 

Near Point of Rocks, Va., March 11, 1865. 
At a meeting of the officers of the 2d Pa. Vet. Art'y, held at 
Regimental Headquarters on the evening of the loth inst., Major Ben. 
F. Winger presiding, and First Lieut. Albert P. Barber, secretary, on 



BERMUDA HUNDRED. 1 35 

motion Captains Wm. S. Bailey, Jos. L. Iredell and First Lieut. Wm. 
S. Fiss were appointed a committee to draft resolutions expressive of 
their feelings in parting with their late Colonel, William M. INIcClure. 

The following resolutions were then presented and unanimously 
adopted : 

Resolved — That amid the various changes that have occurred in 
the regiment, there has heen none which has occasioned to us so much 
regret as the return to civil life of Colonel William M. AlcClure, 
by which the regiment has lost one of its brightest ornaments, one 
of its best friends, and the service one of its most devoted patriots and 
veteran soldiers. 

Resolved — That Colonel Wm. j\I. ]\IcClure carries with him into 
his new sphere of life the esteem and gratitude of his late Brothers 
in Arms, and that it is their earnest wish that the same success attend 
him in civil as in military life. 

Resolved — That a copy of these Resolutions be transmitted to 
Wm. 'M. AlcClure, late Colonel 2d Penna. Veteran Heavy Artillery. 

B. F. WINGER, 

Albert P. Barber, Major 2d Pa. Vet. Art'y- 

First Lieut. 2nd Pa. Vet. Art'y. 

Secretary 



On the night of March 23, 1865, the enemy set fire 
to the woods between the two opposing hnes at Bermuda 
Front, evidently to better detect their men when attempting 
to desert, a nightly occurrence of which was carried on in 
excessive numbers. 

The regimental pay-rolls were signed by the officers 
and the men of the Second Pennsjdvania Veteran Heavy 
Artillery on the 24th of ]\Iarch, 1865, and on the following 
day orders were issued to pack up all surplus clothing pre- 
paratory to it being sent to Norfolk, indicating another 
movement to be made by the regiment, the advent of two 
divisions of Sheridan's Cavalry the next day tending to 
confirm that belief by the men. 

The Second Pennsylvania Veteran Heavy Artillery 
was "in all its glory" the following day, March 27th, when 
the paymaster arrived and "settled accounts" with the men. 

The fact that there was no place to spend money, except 
at the sutler's wagon, where credit ad. lib. could be had as 
well as by paying cash, was no bar to the men's want of 
money, for be it remembered the great majority of the men 
had someone at home dependent, more or less, upon them, 
and these occasional payments of sixteen dollars per month 
for services were anxiously looked forward to by such com- 



136 BERMUDA HUNDRED. 

rades in the Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, as well, 
also, by many other regiments. 

The General commanding the brigade inspected the 
regiment by Batteries on the 28th of ]March. after which 
nothing transpired demanding attention, not already speci- 
fied, until the afternoon of April 1st, when all the guns 
from the Appomatox to the James river were opened on the 
enemy, followed by volleys of musketry, and in the "melee" 
several in the regiment were wounded, mostly those on the 
picket line, firing being kept up all night. 

Throughout the night of the 30th of March, 1865, the 
Army of the James was marching past the camp of the 
Second Pennsylvania Veteran Heavy Artillery, toward 
Petersl)urg, which gave evidence that something new was 
to transpire, and the several Battery headquarters were 
watched by the men in anticipation of being called upon to 
participate: and when it became known that the Confed- 
erates in front of the regiment under Gen. Longstreet, left 
on the 31st, the men of the "Second Heavy" were positive 
"we'll move." But not only did they remain spread out 
and cover ground vacated by those who left, but also were 
required to be more vigilant and do more duty. 

On the morning of April 2nd, 1865, the regiment sup- 
ported an advance made Ijy two Battalions of the Tenth 
New York Heavy Artillery, at the right of the Second Penn- 
sylvania Veteran Heavy Artillery, but soon fell back with 
the loss of about one hundred men in killed, wounded and 
missing in the two regiments. 

A flae: of truce was sent out in the afternoon, to burv 
the dead, which was accepted, and done, terminating at 
about 6 p. m., after which the regiment resumed its old 
position on picket line, lying on arms all night. 

AlK)ut 8 o'clock on the morning of April 3, the Third 
Battalion of the regiment, in light marching order, with 
Battery D as skirmishers, advanced, with other troops, and 
took possession of the enemy's works, meeting with little re- 
sistance, as the enemy was about retreating, and whose bat- 
teries were occupied with "Quaker guns" at the embrasures. 

The enemy was followed to Chester station, where the 
Richmond and Petersburg railroad was torn up and a train 



BERMUDA HUNDREP. 137 

of eighteen cars loaded with tobacco, and a locomotive, 
were "ditched." Continuing the pursuit, picking up strag- 
glers, in squads of five, ten and twenty, the command passed 
the inner line of works, which ran along some woods. 

The command pushed on through the woods containing 
a dense growth of underbrush of small dry cedars and fir, 
through which it was impossible to see more than ten to 
fifteen feet, and which compelled the line to become some- 
what broken, and most of the men's clothes were almost 
torn to rags. 

It soon emerged from the woods into an open field, 
then wheeled to the lert on a double-ciuick, charging and 
capturing nearly all of Mahone's wagon-train, with many 
prisoners, on the road to Petersburg. 

After gathering in the wagons, mules, prisoners, etc., 
and sending them under guard, to the rear, with a six-gun 
battery that had become mixed up in the stampede, a halt 
was called. 

Batteries B and part of K during the nig'ht were placed 
on the picket line, under command of Lieutenant Gramlich, 
with a New York officer as "Division Officer of the Day." 
The main post was located on a cross-road — Petersburg 
and Danville R. R. A number of prisoners were captured 
here, and the next morning, with consent of the Division 
Officer of the Day, Lieut. Gramlich took one man from 
each post, as a reconnoitering party, and advanced some dis- 
tance beyond the lines, capturing more prisoners, confiscat- 
ing a mule, harness and carriage, which were returned to 
the owner on taking the oath of allegiance. 

Detachments of Batteries K and ]\I were sent on 
twenty miles further, to some coal pits, on the Richmond & 
Danville Railroad, reaching there about midnight, where 
they captured some prisoners and locomotives, returning to 
Chester on the locomotives (run by men of the detach- 
ments) with the prisoners taken, about 5 o'clock a. m., 
April 4th, from whence they marched to Point of Rocks 
taking boat to City Point, lea\"ing the prisoners, and about 
4 p. m. started to march for Petersburg, where they re- 
joined the regiment about ii o'clock p. m. 



138 BERMUDA HUNDRED. 

Shortly after Batteries K and M left for the coal pits, 
the Battalion returned to Chester Station, thence to Ber- 
muda Front, where it remained over night, and the next 
morning, the whole regiment was ordered to Petersburg, 
the march to which point was marked by considerable lag- 
ging, the men being burdened with knapsacks, five days' 
rations, etc., the step being quick, the weather rather warm 
and the roads muddy. 

The Second Pennsylvania Veteran Heavy Artillery at 
this time was in General Ferrero's Provisional Division, and 
with which it marched to Petersburg, there relieving the 
First Division of the Ninth Corps, the regiment going into 
camp about a mile to the south of the city, in an apple or- 
chard, where arms were stacked and tents pitched after 
guards were stationed round about. 

Batteries M, B and H were detailed for duty in Pet- 
ersburg on the morning of April 7th. 



139 



CHAPTER IX. 

RETURN TO PETERSBURG. 

On the 9th of April, 1865, with the whole army and 
navy, and the patriots of the country everywhere the Second 
Pennsylvania Veteran Heavy Artillery was made to rejoice 
that the war was ended by the surrender of General Robert 
E. Lee to General Ulysses S. Grant. 

The loth of April, 1865, was a dreary day, so far as 
the weather w^as concerned, rain descending in torrents at 
times, but the ardor of the Army in general, and the Second 
Pennsylvania Veteran Heavy Artillery in particular, was 
above par in rejoicing over the termination of the war, in 
consequence of which the men anticipated an immediate re- 
turn to their homes and families. 

Such, however, was not the fortune of the regiment, so 
far as an immediate return home was concerned, for it was 
ordered to duty in the Freedmen's Bureau, and was about 
the last volunteer regiment in the service to be dispensed 
with. 

The monotony of camp life by those at regimental 
headquarters was broken on April 12th, when dress parade 
was held towards sundown, and balls were held by the Bat- 
teries in the night, music for which was furnished by those 
belonging to the several Batteries, who possessed a fiddle, 
harmonicon, accordeon, or banjo, one or the other of which 
instruments could be found in every Battery in the regi- 
ment. 

Confederate troops, homeward bound, passing through 
Petersburg, and sight-seeing, in the city and along the 
lines of the city's defences, encompassed the attention of 



140 PETERSBURG. 

those of the regiments not on tkity for the first two or three 
clays after the surrender, when on April 14th, nearly every 
available man of the command was put on duty, picketing 
and guarding all roads, some over five miles from the city, 
to intercept and capture, if possible, J. Wilkes Booth, the 
assassin of President Lincoln, a full description of whom 
was given every soldier, and who was reported to be on 
his way to the lower Southern States. 

The arrests of persons were very numerous, and in- 
cluded women as well as men, some of the men who made 
such arrests saying the arrest was made by them "because 
she looked like a man." 

Chaplain Hunt held services at camp of the Second 
Battalion on the evening of April i6th, to which a large 
attendance from other Batteries and troops of other regi- 
ments were present, the Chaplain dwelling on the crime 
of Booth. 

He held "special services" on the evening of the 19th 
of April, to which -"all soldiers" were invited, and to whom 
he addressed a strong temperance lecture, which was well 
received and, evidenced by the subsequent conduct of the 
men, had a salutary effect. He also delivered a sermon 
to the men at camp of the First Battalion at noon that 
day, which was preceded by Colonel Strawbridge inspect- 
ing the command. 

The following assignments were made by Colonel 
Strawl)ridge, each ofticer being accompanied by one or 
more Batteries of the regiment, to patrol and do guard 
dutv in the counties mentioned: 

Surry Court House — Lieut. Col. Wringer. 
Brunswick Court House — Major Bailey. 
Sussex Court House — Major Schooley. 
Greenville Court House — Capt. Mercer. 
Prince George Court House — Capt. Norris. 
Dinwiddie Court House — Capt. Wilson. 

The several Batteries of the 2d renns}'lvania Veteran 
Heavy Artillery were moved from place to place, as occa- 
sion required, during the summer of 1865, to look after 
the freedmen and feed them, headquarters for such pur- 
po.ses being estal)lished at Dinwiddie. I'runswick. Sussex, 



PETERSBURG. I4I 

Llewellyn, Prince George, Nottoway and other courthouses, 
all being under the command of General ]\lcKibl)en, the 
district being termed "District of the Blackwater," with 
headquarters in Petersburg, where Batteries M. H and B 
were located and doing patrol and guard duty. 

On the 20th of July, Battery A, which had been on 
duty at Fort Fisher since its capture in January, returned 
to the regiment. 

On August 17th, lieadquarters of the regiment was 
moved to Poplar Grove, near headquarters of General 
Lee during the siege of Petersburg, Battery G being de- 
tailed for guard duty at the camp. 

The Second Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery was mus- 
tered for two months' pay on the 30th and 31st of August, 
1865, two days being necessary as the command was so 
widely scattered, some over 65 miles away. 

On the nth of September, Batteries D, H, I and L, 
under command of Lieut. Colonel Winger, with Lieut. 
W. L. Laughlin acting Assistant Adjutant, were sent to 
Burkesville, Avhere they relie\ed the 24th U. S. C. T. 
Headquarters were established in Burk's mansion, the 
"Sub-District of the Roanoke" being the title of the dis- 
trict. 

Battery G was guard of honor on September 17th at 
the funeral of a ]\Iajor belonging to the 103d New York 
Infantry; 

The following order was the first genuine indication 
of an early discharge from service received by the regi- 
ment : 

Headquarters, District of the Nottowav. 

Petersburg, I'a., November 2, 1865. 
General Orders No. 34. 

I. All Officers and men belonging to Companies A, B, D and I, 
2d Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, and not on detached duty by orders 
from these Headquarters or higher authority, will immediately be 
relieved and rejoin their companies at Burksville, Va. 

II. The Officers of the Freedmen's Bureau will, without delay, 
assume the duties of Provost Marshals for their respective counties. 
They will report to their Sub-District Commander in matters apper- 
taining to the Provost ^Marshal's department, and to Capt. Stuart 
Barnes, Assistant Superintendent, 2d District, in those appertaining to 
the Freedmen's Bureau. 



142 PETERSBURG. 

III. All Officers relieved bj' this order will, without delay, rejoin 
their respective companies. 

Bv Command of Major-General John Gibbon, 
W. H. MALE, 
Brvt. Maj. & A. D. C, Act. A. A. General. 
Official : 

J. A. Buck, 

Lt. & A. Assistant Adjutant General. 

On December 19, 1S65, the citizens of Petersburg held 
a tournament, the handbills for which stated, "No Yankees 
will be permitted to attend." General Gibbon issued an 
order that "No Federal soldier or officer shall assist in 
making the tournament a success, by loaning or contribut- 
ing horses, equipment, etc., or dig'nify the occasion by 
being present," in consequence of which the "tournament" 
was a "fizzle." 

Captain Dunkelberg, of Battery C, was placed under 
arrest by Major Schooley on December 21st for permit- 
ting his men to remove some shanties vacated by Battery 
H, but nothing further was done in the matter, as Colonel 
Strawbridge deemed it "inadvisable to create ill feeling on 
the eve of being mustered out of service." 



H5 



CHAPTER X. 

CITY POINT — MUSTERED OUT. 

On December 22, 1865, headquarters of the Second 
Pennsylvania Veteran Heavy Artillery was moved to City 
Point and the several Batteries were also ordered to report 
there as soon as relieved at their respective stations. 

The Batteries at Burksville and Petersburg were be- 
ing paid off on the 31st of December, while those at City 
Point were being mustered for pay, the latter being paid on 
January 8, 1866, and in less than twenty- four hours there- 
after five two-story buildings used as barracks by the 
Batteries at City Point were burned down, many of the 
men losing everything except what was in their pockets 
and on their backs ; weather bad, men suffering from cold. 

On the 3d of January, 1866, orders to muster the regi- 
ment out of the United States service were received at regi- 
mental headquarters, which, being promulgated to the regi- 
ment, created inexpressible joy therein, the men shouting 
and shaking hands in a genuine happy manner. 

The order for rendezvousing at City Point was received 
with great joy, and reads as follows : 

Headquarters, District of the Nottoway, 

Petersburg, Va., January 12, 1866. 
General Orders No. 3. 

The 2d Penna. Vet. Vols. Art'y is relieved from duty in this 
District, and will at once repair to City Point preparatory to being 
mustered out. 

The garrison of the City will be relieved by the companies of the 
I2th Infantry. The Commanding Officer of which will designate an 
Officer to act as A. Q. M., and receipt to Lieut. J. W. Dykens, 2d 
Penna. Vet. Vol. Art'y, for the public property. 



14-1 CITY POINT. 

The records of the Sub-Districts will be turned into the Assistant 
Adjutant General at these Headquarters, by the respective Command- 
ing Officers. 

Bv Command of Major-General Tohn Gibbon. 
W. U. MALE. 
Bnf. Mai. & A. D. C. Act. A. A. General. 
Official : 

S. D. Str-wvbrtdge. 

Col. 2d Pa. Vet. Heavy Artiller>-. 

The Batteries (A. B, D. H and I) that had been doing 
duty in the "Sub-District of the Roanoke," with head- 
quarters at Burksville. arrived at City Point January u, 
1866. and the following day the balance of the rcgMiieni 
arrived from Petersburg. 

Details of officers and men from each Battery were 
made, on the 14th of the month, to prepare muster-out rolls. 

They worked day and night until the 28th of January, 
1866. when the rolls were completed and ready for the 
mustering officers, the roll containing names, records, etc., 
of over five thousand men. makiiig it nearly, if not quite, 
the largest roll of officers and men in any volunteer regi- 
ment of the Civil, or any other war. in which the United 
States were engaged. 

The regiment went on dress parade at 3 o'clock in the 
afternoon of Sunday. Jiinuary 2S. 1866, it being the last 
of those ceremonies in which the regiment indulged. Lieu- 
tenant Colonel Benjamin F. Winger being in command, and 
nearlv every officer and man of the regiment then at City 
Point took part in making it a success. 

Captain J. Remington, of the Regular Army, per- 
formed the ceremony of mustering the regiment out of the 
United States service on January 29. 1866. and the next 
morning the regiment embarked on the steamboats *'S. O. 
Pierce" and "Lady Lang." arriving at Fortress Monroe 
about 2 o'clock P. ^L. where the "Adelaide" was taken 
for Baltimore at 6 o'clock P. 'SL. arriving there about 
daylight of January 31st. then cars on the Philadelphia, 
Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad were taken for Phila- 
delphia, the regiment arriving at the latter place just be- 
fore sundown. 

After forming in line on Prime Street the regiment 
marched up Broad Street to Ridge Avenue, thence to Camp 



MUSTERED OUT. I45 

Cadwallader. going into camp there about 7 o'clock P. M., 
January 31. 1866, where it remained until the men were 
paid off and received their final discharge papers, on Feb- 
ruary 6, 1866. 

At Fortress Monroe Colonel Strawbridge received 
orders from General Terry to report to him. at Richmond, 
Va., when after bidding the officers and men good-bye, 
he turned the command of the regiment over to Lieutenant 
Colonel Winger, who accompanied it to Philadelphia. 

Adjutant Jerome Buck, mounted on Chaplain Hunt's 
horse and accompanied by Color Sergeant H. F. Rutledge 
and a corporal, carried the flags of the regiment (or rather 
the staffs and what little of the flags were left) to Girard 
Street, above Eleventh. Philadelphia, on the 5th of Febru- 
ary. 1866, and turned them over to the proper State officer 
for preservation, taking his receipt therefor and turning it 
over to Lieutenant Colonel B. F. \\"inger. The colors are 
now at the Capitol at Harrisburg. preserved with many 
others, and can be seen at any time. 

During the services of the Second Pennsylvania \'et- 
eran Heavy Artillery, many of its officers and men were 
on detached duty at the headquarters of many other com- 
mands, and they all filled their positions with credit to 
themselves and the regiment. Among them were Lieut. 
Col. Oberteuft'er; Lew. C. Fosnot, of Battery G; Samuel 
S. Wint. of Batter}- M : \\"m. H. Buck, of Battery L: Sam- 
uel E. Haines, of Battery C. and Robert Burns, of Bat- 
tery D. 

The Second Pennsylvania \'eteran Heavy Artillery 
was the largest regiment in the L'nion Army during the 
War for the L'nion, and during its active service in the 
field, from May 27th, 1864, to April 9th, 1865, its record 
Tl'/// compare fcK'orably zi'itJi a)iy si)nihir organijzatioii for 
braz'cry, )nilitary bearing aud discipline that was engaged 
during the War of 1861-5. 

There were 5,104 assigned and 211 unassigned men in 
the regiment. 

Total. 5.315. 

The largest Battery was G — 493 men ; the smallest 
Battery was C — 343 men. 



146 MUSTERED OUT. 

Mathevv Loeven, Battery C, son of Captain Joseph 
Loeven, was but a little over 1 1 years old, and was bugler. 
Enlisted July ist, 1862, Discharged November, 1862. 

Edward Eckard, 73 years, enlisted August 26th, 1862. 
Discharged November, 1862, on account of age. 

The total number of deaths occuring in the regiment 
during the Second Pennsylvania Veteran Heavy Artillery's 
service of over four years was 748. The last death in the 
regiment was that of Artificer John Kelley, of Battery D, 
which occurred at Fortress Monroe while the regiment was 
on its way home. He was buried, with miltary honors, in 
Mount Moriah Cemetery, Philadelphia, February 3rd, 1866. 



AUG 23 19C4 



^ ' opy na_ TO CAT, DIV, 
Min, 23 1904 



^\i6 



21 y^^ 



